Ruby Rose, The Girl Who Ran (Original)
by Lord Revan Flame
Summary: Tired of being called weak and a child, Ruby Rose fled Beacon. Taken under the wing of a middle aged mad man with secrets, she aims to become stronger. However, with dark forces rising under the lead of a fiery goddess, a crime lord, and an ex-hunter, the world will fall to darkness. Only together can they stop the coming darkness. RubyxJaune (All rights to respective owners)
1. The Girl Who Ran

**Hello my fine viewers**

**This is Lord Revan Flame to those who don't know me**

**Those who do**

**Terribly sorry for deleting my other RWBY story**

**I just got the most brilliant idea for this one**

**Or if you hate it, well I'll try my best to make it epic**

**So for the first time, I think**

**This is a Ruby betrayed story**

**If you don't know what that is**

**Well Ruby is betrayed and leaves Beacon**

**I noticed every genre had betrayed stories**

**Examples  
-Percy Jackson and the Olympians  
-Fairy Tail  
-Harry Potter  
-Etc.**

**I have yet to see a true Ruby betrayal story**

**So I hope to spawn a new breed of RWBY story**

**Maybe**

**I honestly don't care, but I would like to make an original story for RWBY**

**So, here we go**

**GERONIMO!**

**(Yes, I like Doctor Who)**

**Lots of different references... maybe**

**Not sure**

**Let's go!**

* * *

Ruby POV

Weak

A Child

To Young

Small

Weakling

Nothing, but a waste of Beacon's time

"Shut up!" I screamed as I writhed in pain, trying to stop the voices from berating me.

Suddenly, I saw a tall figure in armor, Cardin Winchester. Cardin pulled me up by my hair and I screamed in pain. I flailed around, trying to get out of his grip as he held me by my raven black hair with crimson highlights. I screamed in pain as I tried to hold onto his hand so I wouldn't get my scalp pulled off my head.

"RUBY!"

* * *

I woke up with a gasp and looked at Yang who stared at me with wide and curious eyes.

"You alright sis?"

"Uh, yeah," I answered, hoping to change the subject.

"You sure? You were crying and rolling around in bed," she replied. "We were worried, even Weiss got worried."

"Oh," I said, blushing in embarrassment, "so where are they?"

"Right here Dunce," Weiss said as she walked out of the bathroom, combing her long, snow white hair.

As she finished combing it and braiding it into its signature long ponytail, Blake appeared from the door, holding a tray of pancakes with a glass of milk.

"Oh, you're awake Ruby," she said and laid the tray down on the desk next to Weiss' bed which was right underneath me.

I leaned over the side of the rope suspended mattress and swung my arm around, trying to reach the tray.

"Here you go," Weiss said and held up the tray to me.

I lazily grabbed it and hoisted it on top of me so I could eat.

"Sho wat r weh ding tda?"

"What?" they all asked and I swallowed the pancakes I had been chewing on.

"So what are we doing today?"

"Well today's saturday so we're off of school for now," Blake answered.

"YEAH!" Yang shouted in joy, pumping her fist in the air in exhiliration. "LET'S PARTY!"

"Yang," I groaned as I pulled the pillow onto my head and stuffed my head into it.

"Sorry sis," she laughed as both Weiss and Blake gave disapproving looks.

"We can't do that yet Yang, Ozpin's giving an announcement for the tournament," Blake stated and Yang laughed nervously as she rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment.

"We'll be in the auditorium sis, announcement starts soon, I think," she said and left the room with everyone else.

I sat in bed for a couple for minutes until I decided to get out of bed. It's been a couple months since the whole battle at the docks. Vytal put itself back together and went back to normal. Roman backed off from stealing Dust shipments after what Penny did to his Bullhead ships.

Speaking of the socially awkward, robotic like ginger with emerald eyes, no one's seen her in a while. I got dressed, donning my signature scarlet cloak and putting Crescent Rose on my back. I walked out of the dorm and walked down to the auditorium.

By the time I got there the whole auditorium was packed with the students of Beacon Academy.

"Hey Ruby."

I turned around and came face to face with Jaune. He smiled sheepishly at me and I smiled back, wide and happy.

"Hi Jaune," I chirped and he chuckled sheepishly as we walked over to our teams.

The first thing I saw, as normal was Weiss' white ponytail and Yang's bush of blonde hair.

"Hi guys!" I chirped again and they turned to look at me.

They had their usual expressions on, Weiss' frown of annoyance, Yang's smile of glee, and Blake's straight line of no expression. Jaune walked over to his team, Pyrrah with her long scarlet hair, Nora's fiery orange hair, and Ren with that sliver of pink in his raven black hair.

"Excuse me."

Everyone turned their heads to look at Professor Glynda Goodwitch who stood on the stage, an arm behind her back while the other tapped on the microphone. She moved that arm back and began to speak.

"Students, please quiet down. Headmaster Ozpin has an announcement to make."

The blonde haired huntress stepped down and allowed the familiar headmaster of Beacon, Professor Ozpin walk up to the microphone. Standing with cane and coffee mug full of warm coffee in hand, he began to announce his news.

"As you know, the Vytal Tournament is close. Only three teams from the top academy of each region of Remnant may participate. Therefore, we have the top three teams of Beacon here," he stated and put his cane inbetween his arm and his side as Prof. Goodwitch handed him a holo-scroll.

"As the first team to participate, we have Team FIRE containing the following students, Flare Menopire, Isaac Newmar, Rachel Sevrant, and Ethan Nemro."

A team of upper class students shouted in joy, their leader, a young adult with hair that had an assortment of warm colors ranging from a scarlet red to a fiery orange.

"Next is the second team, Team TREK consisting of Theodore Drefor, Richard Hecklon, Edeline Linoar, and Kristen Melfort."

The second strongest team in Beacon cheered, a man with dark brown hair pumping a hammer/rifle weapon in the air with his team.

"And last, but not least we pick a first year team to participate," Ozpin said with a smile as he looked through the list.

"Team RWBY lead by Ruby Rose and made up of Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long."

We smiled wide and started cheering, well Yang and I did. Weiss smiled wide, but didn't want to jump up and down in public. Blake was smiling brightly and expressing an expression of pure joy for once.

"I would advise you all leave for training, the tournament is no place for those to weak to fight a fellow hunter in training let alone a creature of Grimm," Ozpin stated and I slightly flinched when he said 'weak', still remembering the nightmare from earlier.

He left with Prof. Goodwitch and the crowd of students slowly dispersed. We were walking with Team JNPR when Cardin stepped in our way. I fearfully stepped back a bit, remembering my nightmare again as he grinned maliciously at me.

"What do you want Cardin?" Yang asked, hands on her hips.

"Just wanted to congratulate the undeserving team," he said with a sly grin.

"Undeserving!" Weiss growled, but Blake held her back.

"Yeah, like a team lead by a kid should participate in the tournament," he laughed and we glared at him.

"Leave them alone Cardin," we heard and saw Team JNPR walk over, Pyrrah glaring at him with fire in her eyes.

"Why should I listen to the second undeserving team?" he asked again and they started glaring with us.

"Just shut up Cardin," Jaune said, but he laughed harder.

"What's the matter Johnny Boy? Finally got some courage?"

"Remember who saved your butt from the Ursa Major," Jaune retorted and Cardin scowled before grabbing him by his jacket collar.

"Got something to say Johnny Boy?" he growled and I took out Crescent Rose, unfolding it so I could scare him.

"Whoa," Cardin shouted in surprise and his team along with him backed up, "no need to get physical over a bit of teasing."

"Just go away Cardin," I growled at him and he kept on laughing.

His laughing kept bouncing around in my head, echoing in my ears, making my vision blur for a bit. I shook my head and closed my eyes before going back to glaring at him. He had that smirk on, the same one from my nightmare. I hesitated a bit, but he saw me do it.

"What's wrong Ruby? Does the kid need to go potty?" he mocked and I gritted my teeth in anger.

"Leave my sister alone Cardin," Yang stated, activating Ember Cecilia, both golden gauntlets transforming from her bracelets into their weapon form.

"What? Afraid your weakling sister can't fight for herself?" he asked in an innocent tone.

"Cardin," Jaune growled and put his hand on the handle of his sword.

"Something wrong Johnny Boy? Trying to defendy your girlfriend?" he teased and we both turned red.

"We're not dating!" we both shouted in unison and blushed heavily when we looked at each other.

"Cardin, I'd suggest you leave," Blake said, her faunas eyes showing that feline ferocity that told you she could rip out your throat within a minute.

"Fine, don't take my advice, but I'm just saying. Your little weak leader's going to take you all down with her during the tournament," he said and turned to leave with his team.

"I'm not weak," I growled at him and he just laughed and turned back around.

"You sure about that? What do you think Johnny Boy?" he asked and Jaune looked at me, then back at Cardin.

"She is the strongest person I know," he stated, narrowing his eyes at the blonde haired hunter in training.

"Really?" he asked. "Either you have low expectations or you're lying. So how about you look her in the eye and say it."

He hesitated and I looked at Jaune, lowering Crescent Rose a bit.

"Jaune?"

I looked at him, calling his name softly, but he didn't look at me, he just lowered his head.

"Jaune?" I asked, tears starting to form in my eyes. "Yang?"

My blonde haired sister turned to look at me, eyes wide.

"Do you think I'm weak?" I asked, starting to tear up.

"No, Ruby of course not," she said, but I saw it in her eyes.

Fear.

She was afraid. Afraid I would run away. She was lying to me.

"You're lying," I said and her eyes widened even further.

"Ruby, I'm telling the truth," she said, but her voice cracked.

"No, you're lying," I said and ran.

"RUBY!" she screamed as I ran down the hall, out into the courtyard, and towards the large gates of Beacon Academy.

I passed under the steel and stone arch, passing several Beacon guards. They shouted at me to stop, but I ignored them as I kept running. I don't remember how far or long I ran, just that I ran and ran until I tripped on tree root.

I face-planted on the ground. I groaned and got up, brushing the dirt and grass out of my face and spitting out whatever got in my mouth. I slowly pushed myself to my feet, well more onto my butt. I looked around and saw large tree, but they weren't like the Emerald Forest trees.

The Emerald Forest had trees that just let out a fearful aura like you could sense the Grimm lurking everywhere. These trees felt calm like the creatures of Grimm hadn't set foot in this forest for years. The large oak trees' branches swayed slightly from a cool breeze that swept through the forest.

Where ever I was, nothing was harmful here.

"Where am I?" I groaned as I got up, wiping the tears from my face.

I looked around, trying to see through the shadows of the trees, but all I saw was more trees. Suddenly, there was rustling and I looked around. I saw a flash of light, the sunlight reflecting off of something shiny. I quickly got up, pulling Crescent Rose back out, holding it in its rifle mode.

"GET HER!"

A large hand grabbed the arm holding Crescent Rose's handle. Another grabbed the hand pulling back the trigger. I cried out in pain as they were forced to be pulled back behind me, past the limit they should be pulled. I was pushed to the ground, arms stilled held behind my back.

A large man stood over me, towering like an Ursa Major standing on its hind legs. He was a buff guy, wearing steel armor with a strange, yet familiar helmet. He grinned as he picked me up with my arms held to my sides. I struggled, flailed in order to get out of his grip.

Some more guys walked into the clearing each of them wearing the same armor. That's when I remembered the armor.

"White Fang," I gasped as they stared at me, then at Crescent Rose.

"Hey, isn't that the girl Roman's looking for?" one asked and the others nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, she's that Little Red chick," another stated.

"I wouldn't call her a chick," another one replied. "She's still young."

"What, you want to have some fun with her?" the big one holding me groaned and my eyes widened in fear.

"No you oaf, we don't deal with humans like that," he growled, telling me he was probably a wolf faunas. "Bear faunas, never smart."

"Hey, take that back or I take your rations for this week," he shouted and the White Fang soldier stuck out his tongue.

"Why you-"

The beefy guy got cut off from some rustling. My eyes widened even further, more White Fang? Then, we got a big surprise.

A middle aged man, holding a fancy cane like one of those kind of canes that rich people took to evening parties or whatever walked into the clearing. He had on a black coat, buttoned along the left side of his chest. The bottom of it hung around his legs like part of a cloak.

He slowly made his way towards us, his eyes, colored a steel grey gleaming with a kind of childish spark. He threw his cane in the air and grabbed it by the top, holding it upside down like somekind of huge wand.

"Alright, finally gotcha!" he laughed as he pointed the cane at us.

"What?" I asked in my usual tone.

"Shut it," the big guy holding me growled and twisted my arm a bit, making me yelp.

"Hey, quiet boy," the newcomer ordered.

"I'm a girl," I stated and the came lowered a bit in his hand.

"Oh, my bad," he nervously chuckled. "Anyways, you White Fang boys best be out of here because I just found you!"

Each of the faunas rebels looked at each other before back at him. They started laughing hysterically, pointing at the man and laughing loudly.

"What could you possibly do to us?" one of them asked as the continued to laugh like a hyena, literally like a hyena so I guess he was a hyena faunas... hyenaus?

"Hey, you paying attention boy! I mean girl!" the newcomer shouted at me.

"Uh, yeah," I answered, my eyebrows raised in confusion. Why was he yelling at me?

"Hey, look at us old man!" one of the White Fang soldiers shouted and the man's mouth dropped.

"OLD!" he roared and everyone jumped back in surprise from his outburst. "I AIN'T OLD!"

"You're using a cane," I murmured, but he heard me say it.

"It's for show!" he shouted and threw it against a tree.

If by luck or if he planned it, the cane landed on its foot and leaned against one of the oak trees.

"Now," he said as cracked his knuckles before grabbing a handle that was sticking out of his neck, "who wants a lesson in butt-kicking?"

He pulled out a large gun looking weapon and immediately everyone jumped in fear. He grinned like a mad man as he held us at gun/cannon point.

"So, who's first?" he asked and the bear faunas dropped me to charge him.

He took a stance, dropping down to bend his knees slightly and part his legs more. His gun dropped a bit and when he was done he was in a sort of squat, balanced pose as he began to fire. His massive gun made a sound like a somekind of large machine powering up, a loud whir of energy before he began to volley of dust shots that fired in a straight line at the bear faunas, whizzing lines colored a luminous blue comprised completely of dust energy.

The bear faunas roared in agony as it stopped and fell over, a flame flickering light blue burned the front of his torso.

"GEORGE!" the remaining White Fange members shouted in shock.

"You're going to pay for that!" one of them shouted and started firing his dust blaster.

The man ran and rolled to behind a tree. The dust shots burned the grass into small piles of ash before starting to create small, burnt spots on the oak tree he hid behind. After the faunas ran out of ammo, he came out of cover and started his barrage of dust shots again.

The White Fang ran to find cover as they reloaded their guns. I ducked on the ground, covering my head as a spray of dust shots went over me. I looked around and saw them finish reloading before returning fire. He twirled, but as he did I saw his hand pull back the handle on top of the gun.

Even through the loud gunfire ringing out, I heard the cocking of the gun. He continued to twirl until he was on the opposite side of the tree, gun still out. He fired, but this time, instead of a stream of dust shots he fired two bolts of dust energy.

Both dust shots exploded when the hit the ground, making the White Fang soldiers fly out of their hiding spots. He cocked the gun again, pulling back the handle. He started firing a stream of dust shots once more, striking down several more White Fang members until they were all down, but two.

"Guess he can change firing type," I murmured as I watched him exchange fire.

"Looks like they forgot about me," I thought in my head as I narrowed my eyes at my 'hero' or possible new enemy.

That's when I saw one of them pull out a rocket launcher as I turned my head to look at the remaining faunas. He held up the massive gun and prepared to fire at the man, but I saw a gleaming metal in the corner of my eye.

Crescent Rose.

I jumped over and grabbed it before changing it into its scythe form. I swung and it cleaved the rocket launcher in half, but it also hit the rocket. I cried out in shock as the weapon exploded, breaking and shattering the blade of my only friend left.

My eyes went wide, but before the fiery explosion got to me like it had to the unfortunate faunas, two arms grabbed me and pulled me back. I shouted in surprise as I was thrown back by the man as he shielded me from the blast. He covered us with his back, the coat taking the brunt of the explosion.

I saw him grit his teeth in pain as the fire singed the leather and burned through his shirt before licking at his skin, turning it black and burning it to a crisp. He went down onto his knees, but before he fell over completely he turned and fired a shot at the last White Fang soldier, blasting out his knee.

The faunas cried out in pain and dropped onto his knee too as the man collapsed onto the ground, face buried in dirt and grass. I looked at them before grabbing Crescent Rose and changing it into its rifle form. I pointed it at the faunas and narrowed my eyes.

"Get out of here and never talk about me being here," I ordered and he nodded before stumbling over.

He got up again and hastily limped away. Suddenly, there was sharp pain in my side and I looked down to see the very edge of Crescent Rose's blade imbedded in my side. I gasped loudly as I fell over in pain as I continued to bleed out.

"Guess the adrenaline ran out," I murmured silently before everything went black.

* * *

**Done**

**Hope you love the chapter**

**I really hope you love the story so far**

**Review, Favorite, Follow**

**Seriously guys, do that would you**

**Thanks for everything good**

**Thank you Roosterteeth for this amazing show**

**Thank you Fanfiction for making it possible for us to write these stories**

**And thank you all for reading this**

**Sincerely,  
Lord Revan Flame**


	2. Welcome to Magnus

**Hello viewers**

**So, two reviews**

**That's a good start**

**It's an okay story so far**

**I'd like to keep it that way**

**More over, I'd like to make it better**

**Ideas?**

**Anyone?**

**Dear Monty, I feel like I'm in a business meeting**

**Anyways, new chapter**

**Yay**

**So, here we go**

* * *

Ruby POV

"Mm," I murmured as I slowly opened my eyes.

I saw blurs of white and black, then red and some blue there. Slowly, I blinked, getting use to the light in my eyes before I finally got use to the bright light in my eyes. I was on my side, curled up in a hospital bed with a light shining on top of me.

I rolled onto my back and straightened up, holding the blanket to me like it was a shield. Sitting next to the bed was the man from the forest, his hand holding up his head by his chin as he snored silently. His eyes were closed and as he slept I looked him over.

He wore the same black coat from the forest, the buttons set on the left side of his chest while the bottom half hung from his waist like a cloak. He had dark brown hair like coffee, almost black, but if you looked closely you could see the brown in it. There were white and grey streaks through it, showing he was getting a bit old.

His skin was a pale tan color like he went outside, but he always wore a lot of clothes. I remember his eyes, those steel grey colored eyes like the hull of a bullhead in the sunlight. His cane was leaning against the wall next to him, the entire thing made of oak wood with a leather wrap handle at the top. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open and his steel grey eyes locked with my silver ones.

For a minute we just stared at each other, but then I gave a scream. He flailed and put his hand over my mouth making me stop.

"Shush," he hissed and I nodded before he moved his hand. "Alright, now thank you."

"Uh, you're welcome?" I cautiously responded. "Where am I?"

"Isn't it obvious? A hospital you dolt," he scoldedd and gestured around him at the small medical posters that hung on the walls and all the health and safety tips posted everywhere.

I cringed when I heard that, remembering the word Weiss always used. Her voice started ringing in my head, bringing back those memories from yesterday that I didn't want to remember. He must've seen me starting to tear up because his angry frown dropped into a saddened one.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, trying to console me.

"Nothing," I said, wiping the growing tears in my eyes as I turned away from him.

"Excuse me?" he asked with a little annoyance in his voice.

"I said it's nothing," I grunted and I felt his hand grab my shoulder.

"You're in pain."

"No I'm not," I snapped at him, but when I looked at him his somewhat youthful face had seemed to age a bit.

I could see weariness in his eyes like he was tired. It was like he had stayed up for a week doing nothing, but stare at a wall.

"I'm not talking about your body," he said and pushed his finger at my heart, "I'm talking about your heart, you're feeling pain in your heart. Something happened that caused you to run into the forest and have me save your butt."

I cringed when he figured it all out and he sighed before sitting down on the bed.

"Alright, tell me," he said and I just raised my eyebrow.

"What?"

"Tell me."

"This is kinda personal," I said and he just gave me a look that said 'no, you're telling me'.

"Come on," he said and I shook my head. "Alright then, I can live with that."

"Really?" I asked, shocked he gave up so easily, but I was mistaken.

"Are you kidding me! I'm a curious person, I need to know things," he said as he grabbed me by my shoulders and shook me.

I saw stars for a second before shaking my head and bringing myself back to reality.

"Do you really want to know?" I asked and he ndded hastily. "You're really a nosey person."

"I know," he laughed, smiling a bit.

"Are you a serious person?"

"Most of the time," he said, "I'm that kind of person who's relaxed, but when you get me worked up I'm going to berate you with all your faults."

"Oh," I said as I _partially_ understood what he said.

"So you gonna tell me?"

"Hm, oh... okay," I answered, but hesitated before I could tell him.

He sighed in defeat and looked up at me with his weary eyes.

"How about this, I take you back to my place. Help you heal up and if you feel like it, you can tell me what happened to you."

I stared at him, blinked a couple times, before I cocked my head.

"What?"

"Urgh," he groaned in annoyance and I sheepishly laughed.

"You come and stay at my place. If or when you feel better, you can tell me your story if you want to."

"Oh," I said in understanding and he gave me a 'finally' look.

"Alright, get up," he said, "I'm going to sign you out. Get ready and come out, your stuff's at the desk."

"Oh, okay," I said and started to get out of bed as he left the room with his cane.

I stretched my limbs, waking them up. I gritted my teeth as I felt my blood start pumping again, moving through my body and heating up the cold skin. I fixed my clothes and reached to fix my cloak to find it gone.

"Where is it?" I gasped and looked around the room.

I looked under the bed, the chairs, on the chairs, on the bed, under the covers, and in some drawers, but it was gone. I quickly ran out of the room and down the hall, then down some stairs, and finally at the check in/check out desk where the man was writing with a pen.

"You're fast," he commented as I looked at him wide-eyed.

"Where's my cloak?"

"Your cloak?"

"Yeah, my cloak. Big red cloak, hood with it, and two silver crosses!"

"Oh, you mean this sweetheart?" the lady at the desk asked and held up my scarlet red cloak.

I quickly grabbed it out of her hands and hugged it tightly.

"I'm guessing it's important?" the man asked and I nodded.

"My mom gave it to me before she..."

I trailed off and the man and the lady exchanged looks before looking back at me.

"Well I'm sure you'll be alright, Mr. Smith here's a good man," she said and the man, Mr. Smith sighed.

"Thank you Dorothy," he said with annoyance in his voice. "Now, one weapon, a couple pieces of said weapon's blade, several ammo packs, and a rose medallion."

He put a bunch of stuff in a duffel bag and I stared at it, remembering what happened yesterday in the forest. I stared at the bag, remembering when Crescent Rose broke. The memory hurt, knowing my sweetheart was destroyed and there was nothing I could do to fix it. I made the blade at Signal and the rest of Crescent Rose was the same.

"Hey, kid you there?"

I snapped out of my thoughts as Mr. Smith snapped his fingers in my face.

"Oh, sorry," I said, blushing in embarrassment.

"Come along kid," he replied and I followed him out of the hospital.

I put my hand over my eyes as I the sunlight shot into them. It burned for a second before I got use to the sunlight. We walked down a sidewalk, the hospital behind us as we reached the market district of the town. We passed shops and stands, fruits were showcased in boxes, pastries were inside shop windows, and there were people bustling around, buying or looking at stuff.

My mouth started to water as I looked into a bakery and saw a plate of cookies in the window.

"I'm guessing your a sweets lover?"

I looked up at Mr. Smith who had his childish smile back on. I slowly nodded and he walked over to a little window in the wall. He knocked and the window slid open showing the owner of the bakery. They talked for a second before the baker brought out a bag and Mr. Smith payed him.

"What's that?" I quickly asked as he walked back to me, hoping it was what I thought it was.

"What do you think?" he asked and opened it, showing two chocolate chip cookies.

I squealed in joy and grabbed then, but realized why there were two.

"You want one?" I asked and he smiled at me with that warm smile.

I handed him it and we started munching on them.

"Ths r dlichis," I said with the cookie in my mouth.

"Hm?" he asked as he looked back at me, raising an eyebrow.

I gulped down the cookie and spoke again.

"These are delicious," I corrected and he nodded in agreement.

"Baker's name is Henry, guy's a freaking god when it comes to cooking pastries and stuff like that," he commented as we continued to walk.

After a couple minutes of walking I asked him a question.

"Hey?"

"Yeah?" he asked as he looked back at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Where are we going?"

"To my place," he answered as he started walking again.

"Where's your place?"

"Close."

"How close?"

"Close."

"How close?"

"Close."

"How close?"

"Close."

"How close?"

"Close."

"How close?"

"Close."

I huffed in anger as he started chuckling under his breath. As we continued to walk my eyes trailed up his back to the red spot on his back.

"Hey?"

"Yeah?"

"Does that burn hurt?"

"Yep," he answered, popping the 'p'.

"Hey?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you act like a kid when you're a grown up?"

"Why can't I?"

"It just seems wierd because your old."

"Well for your information," he said and turned around before poking my forehead, "I prefer to act like a child because I'm only 32!"

I blinked and raised my eyebrow as I stared at him.

"How does that make sense?"

"It just does," he stated and pointed his finger up in the air to make a point. "Besides, what's the fun in growing up if you can't have some fun every now and then."

Suddenly, he stopped in front of two large wooden doors surrounded by marble. I looked around and noticed we'd walked right through a small patch of forest and ended up in front of a manor. It was a large manor, the whole thing made of oak wood with bricks and marble.

"You live here?" I asked as he raised his arm to the door.

"Yeah," he said as he put his fingers on top of each other.

"What're you doing?"

"Opening the door."

"How does snapping your fingers open a door?"

"It's a special door," he said as he snapped his fingers.

The doors swung open and he smiled as I dropped my jaw.

"I know," he said with a smile and led me inside.

"How did you do that?" I asked in shock and awe as he snapped his fingers again, making the doors close.

"The doors have a automated sound detector designed to open to at the sound of the snap of my fingers," he explained, "Not in the breaking way though."

"Oh," I said, drawing it out, "but wouldn't anyone just be able to do that?"

"You're just a bag of questions today aren't you?" he asked and I blushed in embarrassment. "Well, the door also scans for life signatures, if mine's there it knows to look for snapping fingers."

"Oh," I replied as I understood it, "so can I do that?"

"If I let you," he answered, "but we'll see."

He cleared his throat and looked around.

"Aeren!"

I looked at him with a confused expression until I heard footsteps. A pretty lady walked out from a hallway and smiled when she saw us.

"Hello sir," she greeted, her voice sweet and a bit high pitched, but there was something else there.

"Hello Aeren, here, I got my coat and shirt burned," Mr. Smith said and took off his clothes before handing it to her.

I blushed slightly when I saw his chest, but Aeren just stared at him as she took the clothes.

"Sir, there is a wound on your back, would you like me to heal it?" she asked and he shook his head.

"Doctors healed most of it, let it heal on its own."

"Very well sir," she replied, "Seeing as you are wounded, you have dealt with the faunas intruders?"

"You are correct Aeren," he answered as he walked down a hall.

"Uh..." I trailed off as I stared at the woman.

She had porcelain skin and somewhat long platinum blonde hair that just went over her shoulders. Her eyes were a luminous blue which was kind of odd because it seemed like it kinda glowed. She wore a butler suit, but instead of black slacks she wore stockings with black shorts.

"Hello," she greeted as she looked at me.

I felt awkward as she stared at me.

"You are turning red, do you have a fever?" she asked and I raised my eyebrow.

"Uh, know," I said as I continued to blush in embarrassment.

"Aeren, you aren't scaring the girl are you?" I heard Mr. Smith shout from a room.

"I don't believe so sir," she replied. "Am I?"

"Uh, no," I answered, "but it is kinda awkward how you're staring at me."

She gave me a confused expression, but as she did Mr. Smith walked back into the foyer.

"Oh don't mind her, she's socially awkward," he said and tapped her with his cane. "And can't tell what a rhetorical question is... or quiet knows how to not be awkward without knowing she's awkward."

I stared at him, then at her. She was still smiling and he had a bored look in his eyes as he looked at her.

"Um, this seems kinda wrong," I said and he looked at me.

"What?"

"Well, you're talking bad about her right next to her."

"Oh she doesn't mind," he said and tapped her forehead with the bottom of the cane.

There was a metallic tapping when he did it and my eyes went wide.

"She's an android," he stated and began to explain, "Use to be a level 1 android assassin before I found her head in the black market and deleted the programming that made her want to kill people so now she's as docile as a kitten faunas."

"That's not true," I said as I looked down, "Kitten faunas are pretty ferocious, that's what Blake said."

"Blake?"

"My friend, she's a cat faunas."

"Oh," he said and rubbed the back of his head, "sorry."

"It's okay," I assured him and continued to look down as I remembered yesterday's events.

Then, it hit me, where was I?

"Um, where am I?" I asked.

"In my manor," he said in confusion.

"No, I mean what town is this?"

"Oh, well welcome to Magnus, a quiet town near Vale whose main supply of revenue comes from the mines, farms, and fishing," he stated as he threw his arms up in the air and did a full revolution.

"Um, never heard of it," I said and he laughed.

"Of course you haven't, not many people do. We're just a medium sized community that's all just normal," he stated and was about to continue when Aeren spoke.

"Sir, I have developed a f-f-f-f-f-f-f-f-fault," she stated, her smile turning into a small line and her eyes growing a bit wider.

"What?" he asked.

"I have developed a f-f-f-f-f-f-fault," she repeated and he sighed.

"What'd you do this time?"

"I was outside repairing the car when it began to precipitate," she stated and I cocked my head in confusion.

"You were outside when it was raining weren't you?" he asked and she nodded. "Aeren, you know I haven't got your water proof upgrade yet."

"Sorry s-s-s-s-sir," she said, her voice starting to stutter more.

"Come on," he said and led Aeren down a hall, me following.

We ended up in a room with a bunch of tools and stuff in it. The walls and ground were made of steel, probably to keep a fire in as much as possible. A metal table was set in the center of the room while on the right was a counter full of tools and devices with a wall holding tools and cabinets probably holding more stuff. On the left was a large shelf full of weapons and devices.

My eyes went wide when I saw everything, but Mr. Smith didn't see me.

"Alright, up on the table," he said and the android sat on the table before laying down.

He pressed some buttons on a console that connected to the table and a circular ring came out of the table where Aeren's neck was, moving over it like some kind of shackle. It glowed for a second before fading away and moving back into the table.

"Alright, it's safe to remove your head," he said and grabbed both sides of the platinum blonde haired female android's head.

He pulled it off with a loud hiss, clank, and snap. In a split-second she was just a head. I stared at her head with wide eyes as he looked her over.

"Hold this," he said and handed me her head.

I almost dropped her, but grabbed another part of her head before that. Mr. Smith started working on her body, using tools and opening up panels in her. He opened up her arms after opening a small panel in her neck.

"Could you hand me the sonic welder?" he asked as he held out his hand.

"Uh, do you want me to set Aeren's head down?"

"Yes please," he said as he continued to hold out his hand, not moving his head an inch.

I looked around and spotted the tool, a sort of gun looking tool that glowed a bit blue. I grabbed it after setting Aeren's head down on a table and gave it to him.

"Thanks," he replied and went back to work.

After a while of watching him repair Aeren's body while I held her head I started asking questions again.

"So why don't you have to fix her head?" I asked and he looked at me with a 'seriously' look.

"She's part of a level 1 android designed to seduce and assassinate her targets, of course her makers wouldn't plan on her walking in the rain."

"Oh," I replied, blushing in embarrassment, "you don't have to be so rude."

"Sorry, just a little touchy when it comes to things I make," he stated. "She's one of the prides of my collection."

"What's the others?" I asked and he poined at himself.

"She's three, number two is the cybermech armor sets I lie to make, then there's my weapon."

"You mean that really big gun?" I asked and he nodded. "Where is it anyway?"

"I didn't have enough parts to fix it after that battle we had," he answered as he closed up the last parts of Aeren's body. "I gave it to the local blacksmith's shop on my way to the hospital to get you patched up, they're holding onto it. I'm going to go pick it up later."

"Oh, okay," I said as he finished fixing her body.

"Alright," he stated as he grabbed Aeren's head, "here we go."

Her head reconnected with a twist and a snap. She got up after rotating her neck a bit and jumped off the table.

"Thank you sir," she thanked and grabbed his clothes she had discarded on the floor earlier. "I will begin to repair your wear."

"Thanks Aeren," he repied as she left.

He slouched against the table, obviously out of steam from everything that had happened today and yesterday.

"So, um, what's your name?" I asked, "I mean your first name."

"Hm?" he asked, but realized what I had asked. "Oh, Benedict, Benedict Smith."

"Ruby Rose," I stated and his eyes seemed to bulge like Blake's sometimes did.

"Ruby Rose?" he asked and I nodded. "You're that girl that killed the Nevermore on her trial run through the Emerald Forest."

"Well, yeah," I said while blushing.

"So Ms. Rose, trust me enough to tell me why you're here?"

I looked at him and shook my head making him sigh in defeat.

"Knew that would happen, well come along. Let's get you room," he said and led me out of the workshop.

We walked back to the foyer and climbed the large steps up to the second floor. Soon we were walking down a hall, little scented candlesticks on holders on the left side shining lights against the right wall, illuminating pictures and trophies along with the doorways and giving off a nice fresh smell.

"Here we are," he said as we approached a door.

It was a regular oak wood door with no special design on it, just a metal handle and a lock.

"Your room," he stated. "Mine's down the hall, you need anything I may or may not be there."

"Um, okay," I answered and he nodded to me before walking down the hall to a door painted white.

I opened the door and my eyes went wide. Inside was a large room with walls painted white and a carpet floor. A large bed was on the right side of the room while a closet sat across from it. There was a dresser next to the door and a mirror next to the closet. A TV hung right above the dresser and a chest was set under a window that overlooked the courtyard of the manor.

"Whoa," I simply said in awe.

I ran over and jumped on the bed, laughing as I lay there. Suddenly, memories started passing through my head. Cardin calling me weak, Yang and Jaune not admitting I was strong, and me running away. I started to cry, but I heard a knocking on the door.

"Um, Ruby?"

I quickly wiped the growing tears in my eyes and cleared my throat.

"Yeah?" I asked and I heard sheepishly chuckling.

"I may have forgotten to give you your stuff."

I raised an eyebrow before realizing he still had Crescent Rose. I quickly jumped out of the bed and opened the door to see him holding up the duffel bag. I grabbed it and rushed to the center of my new room.

"Whoa, little quick aren't you?" he asked and I glared at him, making him drop his childish expression.

I quickly unzipped it and picked up the shards of Crescent Rose's blade, starting to cry in pain of losing my 'sweetheart'.

"I would say don't worry it's just a weapon, but it's obvious that it's more of your best-friend?" Mr. Smith asked and I nodded slowly, slightly surprised he asked something like that.

For a while I just caressed the blade fragments carefully, careful not to cut myself as I cried over them. Then, I felt a hand lower itself onto my shoulder and I looked up at Mr. Smith.

"You know, I could convince the blacksmith to help reforge that blade, he'd probably ask for a fee, but I could pay it."

"You want me to let someone else handle my sweetheart!" I practically screamed at him and felt a pang of guiltiness on the inside afterwards for screaming at him for trying to help.

"No, I don't want you to do that," he said, surprising me. "You obviously forged that blade yourself, I'm sure he could give you the resources and maybe show you some new tricks when you reforge that blade again."

"Really?" I asked and he nodded with a smile, not that childish smile, it was like that smile that your grandparents gave you when they saw you do something cute.

"Really," he answered and I smiled brightly. "First thing in the morning because it's six and I really want to go have some dinner."

I blinked and looked back to see the sun setting outside and my mouth turned into an 'o'.

"Okay," I said and he gestured for me to follow him.

Soon I was sitting at a table with a large plate of steak and bread along with a small tub of butter and a pitcher of water. My mouth was watering and I reached for the food, but I heard Mr. Smith cough.

"Ruby," he scoffed and I turned red in embarrassment, "have some manners, thank Aeren first."

"Um, thanks Aeren?" I shyly thanked and she smiled.

"You're welcome friend of Master Smith," she answered and Mr. Smith sighed while I stared at him.

"Don't mind that either, she just calls me that for some program I still haven't found and deleted," he stated and I formed my mouth in an 'o' again.

I immediately started eating everything. By the time Mr. Smith had eaten some of the steak I had already eaten half of it and most of the bread.

"For a little girl, you've got one big stomach," he stated and I blushed.

"I shall clean the mess sir," Aeren said and began to gather the plates.

"Alright, time for bed," he said. "Tomorrow we pick up my gun and get your weapon fixed."

"Okay," I stated and followed him back to my room.

Soon I was on my bed in the pajamas Aeren had apparently made while repairing Mr. Smith's coat and shirt. I curled up under the crimson blankets of the bed and soon fell asleep, having the first good dream in a while.

* * *

Jaune POV

I sat outside my room like I had since yesterday, waiting to see if Crater Face came walking by with a smile on her face.

"Jaune?"

I looked up to see Yang opening her team's door.

"You alright?" she asked softly, her voice still full of pain and loss.

"I'm the same as you," I murmured and she nodded before sitting down next to me.

"So we both feel like crap baskets and we should look for Ruby?"

"Yeah," I moaned in depression and put my face in my hands.

For a while we just sat there, wallowing in our hate for ourselves.

"Hey Jaune?" Yang asked me and I looked up at her. "Did you think Ruby was weak?"

"I-I didn't- I didn't think she was... She's not weak, well I don't think so," I stated, stuttering as I tried to sound believable to her, not that I was lying, just that she'd probably think I was right.

"Then why didn't you answer?"

"It's me," I answered, "you know me, the weak loser who's always shy. I was still shocked by what Cardin asked, I mean she decapitated a Nevermore, why would anyone ask if she's weak!"

"Exactly," Yang stated, but slouched back down.

"What about you?"

"Hm?"

"Did you think she was weak?"

Yang immediately punched him in the arm making him yelp in pain. For a couple minutes her hair was burning with fire caused by the activation of her semblance via the pure rage that coursed through her. Then, it all disappeared and she buried her face in her hands.

"Yes and no," she answered and he raised an eyebrow while cocking his head.

"What?"

"I know she was strong its just... she's a first year like me, but she's also so young. Of course I thought she needed some practice, but that was enough for Ruby to think I thought she was weak."

"So we're on the same page?" he asked and she nodded. "So we should stop sitting here and go look for her?"

"Definitely," she said, grinning for the first time in a while.

* * *

**Done**

**I hope you guys like this chapter**

**I've decided, yeah going with RubyxJaune**

**It's going to build up**

**Don't worry about it**

**Just worry about me and this crazy mind of mine**

**So, review, favorite, and follow**

**See ya,  
Lord Revan Flame**


	3. The Blacksmith's Shop

**Hello Fanfiction!**

**So, new chapter**

**Also, to you people who think Benedict is a pedo**

**He isn't a pedo**

**Just a nice guy**

**Now, to the story**

* * *

Ruby POV

"Ms. Rose?"

My eyes slowly opened and I looked up at a woman with platinum blonde hair who stood over me. I let out a scream and fell out of the bed, right on my face.

"Ow," I groaned as I got up, wiping some dust off of myself.

"Are you okay Ms. Rose?" she asked.

"I'm okay, um..." I trailed off as I tried to remember her name.

"Unit N7-117, deemed Aeren by Master Smith," she answered and I mouthed and 'o'. **(A/N- If you get what N7 and 117 mean, you are a wonderful person)**

"Well, um Aeren, where's Benedict, er, Mr. Smith?"

"He has already left to collect his weapon from the blacksmith, he requested that I wake you before 9:00 A.M. so you may gather the remains of your weapon and meet him there."

"Oh yeah!" I shouted and ran over to the duffel bag at the other the end of the room.

I zipped it open and saw the shards of Crescent Rose's blade gleaming in the sunlight pouring in from the window.

"I'll get ready," I shouted and ran out of the room, but stopped.

I walked back in, blushing in embarrassment.

"Um, where's the bathroom?"

"Follow me please," she ordered and I walked with her down the hall to a room.

She opened it and showed me a pretty big bathroom. There was a shower, a tub, a large sink, and toilet.

"Okay, thanks," I said and started to take off my shirt, but stopped when I noticed she was still standing there. "Um, could you leave?"

"As you wish," she answered and began to leave when she stopped before turning around to face me again. "I shall bring your clothes in while you cleanse yourself."

"Um, thanks?" I said, turning even more red out of embarrassment in the awkward conversation we were having.

She finally left and I closed the door before stripping down and getting in the shower. I smiled and sighed in pleasure as I felt the warm water on me. Before long I heard the door open and heel clad feet click across the tiled ground. It left the bathroom and I peeked out of the shower curtains to see my usual red clothes on the side of the bathtub.

Soon I turned off the shower and dried myself before putting on my clothes, smelling the freshness of the clothes and smiling as I skipped out of the bathroom. I went back to my room to grab the duffel bag before heading to the front door. That's when I realized I didn't know where the blacksmith was.

"Do you require assistance?" I heard and screamed in terror as Aeren appeared behind me.

"AH! PENNY!"

She stared at me in confusion, tilting her head like a dog wondering what their master said.

"Oh, it's just you Aeren. How'd you do that?" I quickly asked in shock.

"Do what?" she asked in confusion. "And why did you refer to me as currency?"

"No, I was talking about my friend, Penny because she does that whole appear out of nowhere like you just did," I said and she nodded.

"Well I was questioning if you knew the way to the blacksmith's shop so I found you down here and requested if you needed assistance," she said and I nodded. "So do you require me to guide you to the blacksmith?"

"Um, sure," I said, trying to play it cool.

She nodded and opened the door, leading me outside to a shed. She opened the metal door, the door itself moving upwards like a garage door to show a car.

"Is this the car you were working on yesterday?" I asked and she nodded. "How did you get hit by rain?"

"I did not anticipate the roof's durability and failed to notice the water leaking through until a portion of the roof slightly collapsed allowing a small pool of water douse me."

"Oh," I said as I looked up and noticed a hole in the roof with wood nailed up to block it off, "wow."

"Yes," she said and opened the car hood to show the machinery inside. "However, I apologize, but it would seem we shall walk. The engine is still not responding to any given command."

"You mean the car's still broken?" I asked and she nodded. "Let me see."

"Ms. Rose, I am an advanced AI controlled android capable of assassination, seduction, engineering, warfare, and-"

"Here you go," I chirped as I fixed the engine.

It roared to life after I put the keys into the ignition and turned it.

"How were you able to accomplish this task?" Aeren asked, her eyes growing a bit wide making them show that glowing blue light.

"It's an older model, you must not have it set in your databanks so you didn't know how to fix it."

"How intriguing," she commented. "I shall update my drives as soon as I return."

"Return?"

"I must still escort you to the blacksmith's," she answered and I made an 'o' with my mouth.

"Alright," I said as I jumped into the back seat, eagerly jittering on the leather seat after putting on the seatbelt.

She got in the drivers seat and began moving the car. It was a bit bumpy on the dirt road until we got into town, striking the pavement and making the car jolt. Soon we arrived at a large brick building with a couple large windows displaying weapons or armor.

"Here you are Ms. Rose," Aeren stated as she got out and opened my door.

I unbuckled myself and got out, thanking her before she got back into the car and drove back to the manor. I slowly walked up to the door and before I even put my hand on the handle, I heard yelling.

"What's up with this!" I heard Mr. Smith shout in anger.

"I'm sorry that my little girl couldn't resist touching it," a voice snapped back, a heavy accent in it.

"Touching it! She broke it!"

"Don't worry, you'll get the parts soon."

I opened the door and a bell chimed, signalling my entrance. Mr. Smith's and a new man's heads turned to look at me.

The new guy had fiery orange hair like the fire in a forge. A long, curly hair on his head that gave him lucious sort of hair. Then he had a six o'clock shadow of the same color that ran all the way from his sideburns to his chin and back up. He had clover green eyes that sparkled with confidence and pride. He wore a blacksmith's apron on top of his regular clothes. The sleeves of his shirt were pulled back to show his tan skin that had blotches of black and grey, probably ash and soot.

"Oh, Ruby you're here," Mr. Smith said in joy, hiding his anger from a couple seconds ago.

For a moment the other guy just stared at me before leaning over to Benedict.

"You weren't kidding, she is so adorable," he said and Mr. Smith smiled in satisfaction at the guy's awe.

"Hey, right here!" I stated and they snapped out of their stupor.

"Sorry," he apologized, raising his hands in an apologetic manner, "just bragging about having you at the manor. Anyway, she needs her weapon repaired."

"I can do that," the man stated, but Benedict slapped him in the arm.

"You didn't let me finish," he growled with a frown and continued.

"But she wants to repair it herself."

"Can she do that?" he asked and I huffed in anger, grabbing his attention.

"I made my sweetheart so I can repair it," I stated with confidence.

"Oh," he replied in understanding, "you must've gone to Signal."

"Uh, yeah, how'd you know?" I asked and he pulled up a large warhammer.

"This is my weapon, forged it in my time at Signal," he explained and transformed it into a shotgun. "Same goes for this guy's weapon."

He moved his hand so that his thumb would point at Mr. Smith who put his hand to his chin as he raised his eyes to look up at the ceiling if he was thinking of a fond memory.

"Yeah, those were the glory days," he sighed in joy, but snapped back into reality, "but anyways, show her some tricks in forging would you?"

"Alright, as long as you pay up," he stated and Mr. Smith handed him some money.

"Next payment comes when we come back," he stated and the man nodded in agreement.

"I can agree with that," he stated, scratching his 6 o'clock shadow, "Come on now, let's go o the back and take a look at that blade of yours."

He turned around and headed to a door that he opened, showing a large circular room with an open roof. Inside was a large furnace that was burning bright with a large fire on the inside. It wasn't like an oven sort of furnace with a hole in the front. It was a giant structure that too up the center of the room, large metal wires with blue dust crystals imbedded in them. Around the room were a bunch of tools and weapons set on tables or racks.

Sitting a crate was a girl with curly orange hair, probably the guy's daughter. As soon as she saw us enter she ran over and slid down onto her knees in front of Benedict whose eyes widened as he stumbled back.

"I'm sorry Mr. Smith, I'm sorry," she apologized, continually bowing over and over.

"Uh..." he trailed off and I giggled while the man sighed in annoyance. Mr. Smith seemed to formulate words finally as he got his stature back. "It's uh, it's okay."

"Thank you," she said in joy, but noticed me. "Who's that?"

"Oh," Mr. Smith said as he turned around, "Haven't introduced you to the O'Deherns yet have I?"

He gestured at the girl and introduced her, "Ruby Rose, this is Valance O'Dehern, a wolf faunas."

"Wolf?" I asked and she bent her head over to show two small wolf ears. My mouth dropped as I saw them wiggle a bit like Blake's cat ears, but my mouth just hit the floor when she came back up and I noticed her face. She had a cute little puppy nose.

"What?" she asked as I stared at her nose.

"Your nose," I said and pointed at it as she moved her eyes to look down, giving her a cross eyed appearance.

"Oh yeah, part of being a wolf faunas."

"It's so cute!" I squealed and she smiled while blushing as she twidled her fingers together.

Suddenly, I heard a cough and turned to see Benedict giving an annoyed stare.

"Oh sorry," I apologized as I realized that he hadn't finished introducing me to everyone.

"Apology accepted, now this," he said and started laughing. "This is the best blacksmith I've ever known." He clasped his hand onto the man's shoulder who chuckled while his cheeks turned rosy red.

"You're making me blush Ben," he laughed and slapped his hand away. "Stop it." He turned to me and moved his hand out for me to shake. "The name's Ranulf, Ranulf O'Dehern."

"Um, hi Ranulf," I sheepishly greeted and shook his hand.

"Well, come on then," he said as he raised his voice to a booming tone. "Let's have a look!"

I put the duffel bag on a table and zipped it open before carefully taking out the shards of Crescent Rose. The whole time Ranulf stared at them before switching his gaze to me for a minute, then going back to the shards.

"Let me guess, Hard Steel?" he asked and I nodded. "Good choice, its in the name. Hard. Very strong metal, capable of cutting through a Grimm's tough hide. However, I'm guessing it broke by being hit with an overwhelming force."

"Explosion," Mr. Smith answered, "she cut up a rocket launcher aimed at me, sliced the rocket in half and caused it to blow. Resulting force cracked the blade and shattered it."

"Explains everything," Ranulf said in a calmer voice, rubbing his chin. "Alright, hand 'em over."

"What?" I asked, confused as he grabbed a metal tray and held it out to me.

"Put the shards on the tray, I'm going to take a look at them so I can figure out how to properly fix 'em. Then, I'm going to teach you how to reforge it, but better."

"Oh..." I said, elongating the single word before trailing off.

I carefully set down the shards down onto the tray and watched them glimmer in the sunlight. He walked over and set them on a table full of different varities of tools. He pulled a magnifying glass up to his face and started peering at a shard, holding it up so he could see it better. He raised up a hand after a moment, waving it at us as if to shoo us away.

"You can go, it'll be a while before I can complete an assessment. Ben, the parts for your giant freakin cannon will be here by tomorrow," he shouted at us, waving us off with his hand. "Valance, go spend some time with Ben and his little friend, maybe you can make some friends."

"Dad!" she snapped in annoyance, her cheeks red. "I have friends."

"Come on kid," Mr. Smith said and patted her on the back while laughing heartily. "I'll take you to Henry's bakery. Then we'll head on back to the manor."

"Alright," Valance huffed in defeat and followed us out of the shop. We walked down a street before turning a corner and coming to the same bakery as yesterday. Valance finally decided to speak after we had gotten our cookies. "So, you're Ruby Rose?" she asked and I nodded, making her smile in response. "That is so cool! They said you're the youngest person to ever get into Beacon!"

"Uh, yeah," I said, sheepishly smiling as she squealed in joy.

"So why're you here?" she asked. "Are you on a mission? A top secret mission?" Immediately, some of the memories from before started seaping back into my head, but I started pushing them back.

_It's been three days Ruby, get a hold of yourself_

"Uh, hello?" Valance said and I snapped back into reality as she waved her hand in front of me.

"Sorry," I apologized, "I just don't want to talk about it."

"Oh, I see," she replied with a smirk. "Top secret, knew it."

"I wouldn't push the subject," we heard and looked up at Mr. Smith who was still leading us. Probably back to the manor so Aeren could take care of us while he did something. "She's a bit sensitive," he stated and I blushed while Valance looked between us.

"Are you guys like related?"

Immediately, I blinked and stared at Valance, but before I could say something I noticed Valance's eyes widening. I looked at where she was looking and saw Benedict tensed up, completely straightened as if a shock had gone through him.

"No, no we're not," he responded coldly and we both looked at each other. Valance's clover green eyes staring into my silver ones as we exchanged a look of confusion.

We were silent for most of the walk back, but I decided to talk again. Well, whisper to Valance actually.

"Hey," I whispered and she leaned over to me.

"Yeah?" she asked as she got closer. We were on the dirt road now, the tracks from the car that Aeren drove still fresh on the hard ground of dirt.

"Why did he get so sensitive about that whole related thing?" I asked and she shrugged. Either he knew something or something happened that he didn't want us to know.

"I don't know, my dad probably does. They used to go to Beacon together."

"Wait, they're hunters?"

"Yeah, didn't you see those weapons they have?"

"Yeah, but I thought they were just made for fun."

"Of course they were made for fun. Just shooting up Grimm and smashing White Fang when ever they try and invade the forest," she sarcastically retorted and I frowned.

"Well you don't have to be so mean."

"Sorry, just like to protect my family's line of hunters and huntresses."

"Oh, well what happened to them? Why aren't they out on missions and stuff?"

"Don't know, but they're not on the same team," she replied and I raised an eyebrow in confusion. Why wouldn't they be on the same team? Well, actually Jaune and I are friends and we aren't on the same team. So maybe it's possible.

"Really? I thought they'd be on the same team."

"Yeah me too, but I saw a picture of my dad's team. His was called Qrow."

"Qrow?" I asked, my eyes widening in shock.

"Yeah, his leader was some skinny guy with a scythe like yours.

"That's my uncle!" I cheered and this time her eyes widened in shock.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

We smiled and high fived in joy.

"This is the start of a beautiful friendship," Valance stated as she wrapped an arm around my shoulders and held up her hand as we looked up into the sky.

Then, we heard a snap and a creak as the doors to the manor opened. Benedict walked inside as we stood there, a bit shocked that we hadn't noticed that we arrived.

"Oh, we're here," I said and we walked inside. Aeren was there when we set foot through the threshold, holding a platter of little flat bakery treats. "Hey Aeren," I greeted, waving my hand in greeting, but then I noticed the platter of treats. "Hey, what's that?"

"Crumpets," she answered, holding them up to us, "a grittle cake treat Master Smith finds quite enjoyable and delicious."

"Try one!" we heard Mr. Smith's voice shout from somewhere else in the manor.

Valance was the grabbed one without hesitation, probably because she's been here before and eaten one of these before me. I cautiously took one myself and held it up to my eyes. It was a flat pancake sort of thing, but the size of a biscuit. There were a lot of little pores in it and it was colored a light brown like a bakery good is suppose to be. I could feel butter on my fingers and I saw the little yellow square of butter on top of the crumpet, mostly melted. We put it in our mouth and bit down. Immediately, the familiar taste of a bakery good filled my mouth, but it was also new because I could taste the butter in my mouth and the mix of flavor was awesome.

"Ts s mzing," I said in pure bliss as I savored the taste.

"I cannot understand your speechassume you enjoy my cooking?" Aeren asked and I nodded furiously in response. She gave a smile that was a bit creepy, probably because she was a robot. Aeren turned and walked to the kitchen after I had gobbled up most of the crumpets. Valance had gotten a small bit of it, but since I was Ruby Rose, I had eaten most of the baked goods.

"Is eating everything your semblance?" Valance asked as we walked down a hall in the manor, the wolf faunas leading me somewhere.

"No, it's speed," I said and activated it, running all the way down to the end of the hall in a second or two.

"Oh," she said from down the hall and I laughed as she had to run to me. When she got to me I started leading, but she put her hand on my shoulder and pushed me behind her. "No, I know where I'm going," she stated confidently while I pouted.

"Fine," I responded and she started leading again, but this time I asked. "Where are we going anyways?"

"The living room."

"The living room?"

"Yeah, you never been there?"

"No, I just got here yesterday."

"Oh, right," she said, blushing in embarrassment.

I followed her into a large room and immediately my eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. Set in glass cases or on racks, some on plaques, or others erect on a manequin were trophies of all kinds. Weapons ranging from the common dust pistols to custom weapons that were probably capable of a lot damage, armor used by bandits and knights, all of them set in cases or on manequins, and trophies from creatures of Grimm like hides, claws, teeth, fangs, tusks, feathers, stingers, and even some Grimm heads were set in a section all their own.

"I know right," Valance commented and I smiled wide.

"This is amazing!" I shouted as I ran around the room at the speed of a dust shot. I looked at every case, stared at every weapon. There were axes and swords, hammers and clubs, morning stars and maces, and some shields. I looked at a rack holding the first generation of dust rifles, long half wooden half metal rifles that would be filled with dust capsules that would be used as bullets unlike today's models that turned the dust into energy and shot them. "I've never seen anything like this! It's like a museum for weapons!"

"Yeah, my personal trophy room," we heard and looked over to see Mr. Smith standing in the doorway behind Valance. He chuckled as he walked over and picked up a silver bow. It was intricately made, carvings engraved into the metal and a semi-sepherical sort of metal thing that had a part of it missing, probably so that it could be used as the aiming device. He had on a sad smile as he pulled back the string a bit. Then, he jerked his hand back, making the handle snap out and become perpendicular to the bow itself. The sides of the bow shifted so that both sides met and become a blade, then the handle returned to its original form, creating a cutlass sort of weapon.

"Whoa," Valance and I said in awe at the weapon.

"Is that yours?" I asked and he shook his head to answer me.

"It belonged to a friend," he answered and transformed it back into its bow form.

"Oh," I said as he carefully sat it down. He fell into a chair and sighed in what seemed to be frustration and stress. "You alright?"

"Yeah, just old memories rushing into my head, painful memories," he answered, sliding his hands down his face as if to wipe off the memories. His expression of frustration quickly changed and he looked at me directly. "So, you going to answer my question?"

"What?" I asked, tilting my head in confusion.

"My question, why'd you leave Beacon and come here?" he asked and Valance looked over at me while I looked down. "If you still want to keep it to yourself it's fine."

"No, I... I think I need to tell you," I replied, rubbing my arm nervously. "I think I need closure." He just stared at me, his curious eyes turning into his stern ones, his mouth dropping into a stern frown. Instead of the childish man that accompanie Valance and I through Magnus, he was now the middle aged man that seemed to hold that wisdom that you'd expect in an old person. "The reason I'm here is because, because..."

I trailed off and he continued to stare at me while Valance looked impatient.

"I left Beacon because my friends thought I was weak," I said and Valance's mouth dropped while Mr. Smith took a deep inhale and sighed in understanding, I think. He put his hands on his lap and stood up, grunting a bit and stared down at me.

"So they called you weak?" he asked and I sheepishly nodded in response. "Well then, we'll have to show them they're wrong." With that he grabbed a weapon off a rack and swung at me. The sword he held made an arc and barely missed my neck by a centimeter. I yelped in fear as I stood there, completely frozen and pale. "There you go, stood your ground," he chuckled and my eyes just stayed the size of dinner plates.

"I think it was more out of fear," Valance said, some shock and fear in her voice and I nodded. The wolf faunas looked at me before looking at Mr. Smith. "So what was that?" she asked, still a bit fearful of the middle aged man.

"A test, you stood still, good stance, but not good when a horde of Beowolves come at you," he stated as he set the sword down. "You got to have speed and endurance. When a Grimm's claw cuts you, you flinch, but you don't go down."

"Uh, yeah," I said, confused at what he was saying. "My semblance is speed."

"Good," he said, pointing a finger at me, his stern face still on, "but you lack the proper training to use it at full potential. That's where I come in."

"Wait, where you come in?" I asked and he was suddenly next to me, his arm wrapped around my shoulders.

"Yes, they said you were weak. Let's show them you're strong!" he said in a cheerful tone, that childish smile he had now plastered on his face, giving him the youthful glow again. "So what do you say kid?"

"You mean to you teaching me?" I asked and he nodded with a smile. I stood there, mouth open a bit in shock and awe. I just met him and stayed with him for two days and now he's just offering me to become his student so I could be stronger. I didn't have to think much, he saved me and took care of me. "Yes," I answered and he smiled wider.

"Excellent," he cheered and Valance was smiling as the middle aged man turned to look out the window. "We start training tomorrow, for today you can celebrate."

Valance grabbed my arm and started to drag me out of the room, excitedly chattering about a party and getting Aeren to bake a cake. However, I managed to wring my arm out of her grasp so I could look at Mr. Smith.

"What about you?" I asked and he turned to look at me, an eyebrow raised.

"What about me?"

"Don't you want to celebrate?" I asked and he chuckled as he moved to kneel down in front of me.

"I don't need to celebrate kid, besides, this middle aged mad man's got enough excitement for one day," he said, sighing in joy with a bit of exhaustion.

"Oh, okay," I said and left with Valance so we could find Aeren. We ran back into the foyeur and found the android, but also Ranulf. "Oh, hi Mr. O'Dehern."

"Hello Ruby," he greeted as he saw us. "Come on Valance, time to go home." He gestured for his daughter to follow him out the door, but she pouted.

"Dad," she whined and he sighed in frustration, "can I pleeeeeeease stay?" She gave a seriously cute puppy dog face, probably because she was a wolf faunas.

"I used to use that face on my parents Valance, it won't work on me," he sighed again and she pouted even more. "Come on girl, daylights running out." She huffed in anger and went to go walk outside while her father looked at the hall we came from.

"Are you expecting something sir?" Aeren asked, confused as to why he was staring.

"No Aeren," he answered, but before he could turn, he stopped himself and looked back. "Actually, yes I am."

"What?" Aeren and I asked at the same time.

"Just Ben, this is the first time he's come to the shop in a while," he sighed and crossed his arms. "Actually, this is the first time he's been out in a while."

"Really?" I asked, tilting my head in wonder. The blacksmith nodded in response, arms still crossed and eyes still staring at the hall. "Why didn't he come out before?"

"Lots of reasons," he said, "Those same reasons also the reasons for his personality."

"Personality?"

"Yeah, surely you've seen it. He's childish one second, then all stern another," he replied and I nodded. "That's his memories coming out. We were hunters once and we saw things, things we don't want to remember. He'll act like his childish self, but if he remembers something that he experienced, then his warrior's personality comes out."

"Warrior's personality? You mean when he's stern?" I asked and he nodded to answer yes.

"After the last mission his team took, after a death of one of his team members he came here and secluded himself," Ranulf explained. "His wife left him and took her daughter too. They blamed him for the death of their friend."

"That's not fair," I stated, but looked down in thought before talking again. "Right?"

"From what he says, he blames himself more than they do."

"Oh," was my only response as I stared down the hall too. For a moment we just stood there, but eventually Ranulf turned and left.

"Good night Ruby," Valance waved as they left and I waved back. Aeren closed the doors and began walking towards the room Mr. Smith was in. I started walking up the stairs to the second floor where my room was.

I fell onto the bed after getting in my pajamas. The only thing I could think of before I fell into the darkness of sleep was, "Did I get him to come out?"

* * *

Jaune POV

I was in love with Ruby Rose, I think. Everytime I thought of her, boom! My cheeks turned rosy red, my heart flutters, and I feel butterflies in my stomach. I sighed and fell onto my bed, it's been another day since she ran and we still haven't found a sign of her. From what Blake managed to find out she ran through Vale and ended up somewhere else.

"Jaune?" Pyrrah asked and I looked over at her.

"Yeah Pyrrah?" I asked back, drowsiness threatening to take me down like Cardin's mace. She tilted her head a bit, her scarlet ponytail sliding across her shoulder as she stared at me.

"Are you alright?" she asked and I groaned as I fell back on my bed.

"I pretty much drove my best-friend away and now I can't find her," I said and she rolled her eyes at me.

"Jaune, remember why you're training with me," she said and walked over to my bed, sitting down on the edge. Her hand fell on my shoulder and she looked me in the eye with that warrior's glint in them. "You need to be strong, you need to stand strong. You have a team to back you up."

I started to think about it, then I started thinking about all of it and finally decided she was right.

"You're right Pyrrah," I replied and got up so I was sitting in bed. Suddenly, the door opened and Prof. Ozpin walked in.

"Professor," Pyrrah gasped and stood up while I scrambled to do the same. Ren looked over and got out of bed while also flicking Nora in the forehead making her snap her eyes open. The hyper girl jumped out of bed, literally jumped out of bed and landed on her feat, her hand up to her head in a salute.

"Hello Team JNPR," he greeted and we greeted him. "I have news that would most likely interest you."

"What's that?" I asked and he pulled out a piece of paper.

"Since Team RWBY is currently incapacitated because of the disappearance of their leader. Team JNPR shall now participate in place of said team."

Our eyes widened and Nora squealed in joy. Ren nodded in approval while Pyrrah smiled and slapped my on the back, but I just gaped at him.

"We're going to participate?" I asked, pointing at myself and he nodded with a sad smile. "But what about Ruby's team! They deserve this more than us!"

"That I know Mr. Arc," he said and poked me in the chest with his cane. "Mr. Winchester and his team are officially not responsible for the disappearance of Ruby Rose so he is currently on a mission to return the artifacts you all collected on your trial run through the Emerald Forest, on foot."

We all cracked a smile and returned to our beds after Ozpin had left.

"I'll rescue you Ruby," I murmured before I fell asleep, "I promise."

With that I started dreaming of me carrying Ruby like a knight carrying a princess

* * *

**Done**

**I hope you liked this chapter**

**I hope you like the story**

**So keep up with the reviews**

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**See ya,  
Lord Revan Flame**


	4. I'll make a woman out of you

**Hello viewers**

**Welcome back to RWBY!**

**Yes, here we are**

**Training day!**

**So this just isn't about strength**

**She's going to learn everything she'd learn at Beacon because Benedict did go to Beacon cause he's a hunter in Vytal.**

**She'll probably also learn some side things cause you know, middle aged mad man**

**Anyways, here we go**

* * *

Ruby POV

"Ruby..."

"Hm?" I murmured, my eyes still closed as I clutched the crimson blanket on me to shield myself from the cold air the fan was making.

"Ruby..."

"Hm?" I murmured again, still trying to keep myself asleep.

"Ru- Oh, you know what. Ruby wake up!"

I snapped my eyes open as Benedict's booming voice resounded through the room. I shrieked in surprise and fell of the bed, again, just like yesterday morning. I groaned in pain and looked up to see Ben looking down at me with his mouth in a straight line as he raised an eyebrow.

"Not the most graceful awakening," he said and I glared at him as he turned around to walk to the door. "Get dressed, training starts at eight."

"Five?" I asked and looked at the window to see the dark skies. "What time is it?"

"Three," he answered, "thought you might want some time to clean, dress, and eat."

"Um, thanks?" I sheepishly answered as he left.

I slowly rose up, stretching my limbs and shaking off the after effects of my rude awakening. Soon I had gotten out of the bathroom and was seated at the counter in the kitchen, eating the pancakes Aeren was making. I felt the sudden urge to eat as much as possible and raised my fork high.

"FOR SCIENCE!" I shouted at the top of my lungs and started stuffing as much pancakes in my mouth. **(A/N- All rights to that quote belong to PaladinShane because I saw it from him first. Sorry I had to use the quote, it was to awesome not to)**

I was on my fifth pancake when a porcelain toned hand gripped my pale wrist. I looked up with a stuffed mouth to see Aeren giving me a disapproving look.

"Ms. Rose, I would advise not eating a large amount of edible materials, Master Smith would make you expel it very quickly during training."

"Uh..." I trailed off, not sure what she meant by that.

"Seeing as you do not realize my intended meaning, I shall clarify," she stated as she raised her hands. "You will 'puke' your meal." She made air quotes with her fingers to emphasise 'puke'.

"Oh," I said, worried now at what Benedict's training would be. "Thanks?" I responded, sheepishly thanking her as she nodded and went back to making breakfast. Soon my new mentor entered the kitchen, dressed in his usual black coat.

"Good morning everyone," he laughed with joy and sat down, picking up his fork with a swing us his arm. Suddenly, he did the exact same thing as I did, but with a bit more vigor and a different set of words. "In the name of humanity I shall discover how much of these fluffy pan made cakes shall fit in my mouth!"

With that he started stuffing his face as I stared at him with wide eyes. Suddenly, a porcelain toned hand grabbed him by the back of his coat and pulled him back so he was sitting straight in his seat. He finished chewing on his 15th pancake and looked up at his android servant.

"Sir," she growled with her electronic voice and he smiled nervously prompting her to let go of him so he would jerk back forward before regaining his balance.

"He he," he sheepishly laughed and began apologizing. "Sorry Aeren, you know what happens to me when you cook pancakes."

"I decided to cook them for the occasion of Ms. Rose's first day of training under your membership sir," she stated and took our plates to clean them.

"Okay, well," Mr. Smith began while placing his hands on his legs to get up. "Breakfast's over, meet me outside in an hour, training starts then."

"Okay?" I curiously said, still unsure if he was completely sane.

* * *

One Hour Later

"So what are we going to train in?" I asked, jumping up and down in anticipation as Benedict walked back and forth.

"Thinking," he said, pointing his finger in the air. I just sat down, legs crossed as I stared at him. Eventually he slowed down his pacing and finally stopped. He turned and looked at her with a devilish smile on his smile just like when Yang or Nora were about to do something completely crazy or insane. "I know what your first lesson is," he said and I cautiously got up to look at him.

"What?" I asked and he rushed forward in an instant, his fist headed for my small face.

"Dodge!" he shouted and I jumped out of the way in time with the use of my semblance.

"Are you trying to abuse me!?" I shouted in shock and fear as he grinned madly.

"No, just teaching you how to DODGE!" he roared once more as he punched at me again.

I jumped forward and ducked down to roll under him, but he moved his leg, intercepting me. I yelped in surprise as I fell flat on my face. He grinned and I gave a small smile when I realized I had the upper hand. My leg went up and hit him between his making him squeal in pain.

"Dirty fighting," he moaned in pain and as he writhed in agony I got up, dusted off my combat skirt before grabbing one of the training swords he had set out on a rack.

"Now, have at me!"

"Thee," he grunted as he got up, holding his legs for support. "It's have at thee."

"Well I like it with me," I simply said in a cheeky tone.

"Whatever floats your boat," he said and walked over to get a sword himself. "Now, the key to combat is your style and stance."

"Style and stance? I learned that at Signal and Beacon!"

"You did, but you didn't learn it the way I'm going to teach you," he stated, twirling his sword in his hand like some kind of preformer. When he was done he took a stance and then charged forward with a battle cry. I was shocked for a moment, but managed to pull up her sword in defense, blocking his attack.

We continued sparring, wooden sword clashing against wooden sword as we jumped and stumbled across the manor grounds. I was mostly on the defensive, but sometimes I managed to use my semblance to dodge an attack and hit him from behind. He'd then go on the offensive as I swiftly struck at him, getting a bunch of hits in with the wooden sword. However, I was more trained in using my scythe so he'd find a way to get me back on the defensive.

Soon I started getting tired and with what little energy I had left I ducked under one of his swings and hit him in the back of his neck with my weapon. He stumbled forward as I fell on the ground and just fell backwards onto my back, completely out of steam.

"Good, good, now hit me," he ordered, still full of energy.

"What?"

"Come on, you heard me didn't you?" he asked, waving his arms in the air, leaving himself open on purpose.

"You want me to hit you?"

"Come on!" he shouted anxiously and I sighed as I got up and used what little energy I had gotten back from my ten seconds of rest to charge at him.

He jumped back right as I stopped and slashed at him. He landed on his feet in an offensive stance and slashed down, striking my arm with the wooden sword, then he kicked my leg. I fell onto my knee from the amount of pain in my shin as it slipped out from under me. Suddenly, I saw his sword come down at me in mid-swing from an angle, but it stopped right before it hit me.

"You see, you charged in without thinking. That is what you need to work on. Always think about your opponent and what you need to do to beat them. I'm an ex-hunter, of course I'm going to beat you, but that doesn't mean you can't try to beat me," he said as he threw the sword away and helped me up, careful to not put pressure on my bruising shin. "The right course of action would have been to counter my attack by stopping before I jumped back so you could charge once more and attack me as I recovered from the jump back."

"Wow," I said as he explained it like he was teaching me how to play paddy cake. "So, more training?"

"Of course," he said and led me over to a small firing range with rifles set up on a rack.

"How do you have all this?" I asked, a bit in shock and awe from everything he owned.

"I'm a rich guy, now pick up a gun and shoot the target."

I did as he asked and picked up a rifle, careful to treat it like I would Crescent Rose because that's how you treat a weapon. You just don't handle it like it was a wooden stick or a metal bar or a-

"Ruby!" Benedict shouted, probably for the umpteenth time making me turn red in embarrassment.

"Sorry, spaced out for a second," I explained nervously and he sighed.

"Yes, it's alright. Just shoot now," he ordered and I aimed up the sight before pulling the trigger.

The bullet came out with a loud bang as it flew towards the red and white target. It hit near dead center enticing Mr. Smith to start clapping while laughing.

"Good, now that's good," he said as I looked up at him with pride. "Just a bit more practice and you can hit dead center as much as you want."

"Really?"

"No, no one can hit dead center all the time. They'll always make a mistake whether it be natural or unnatural effects."

"You sound like a really smart professor."

"I do don't I?" he replied smugly, but I dashed his joy with my next words.

"You're suppose to sound childish."

"Yeah- Hey!" he shouted in anger making me laugh as he fumed. "I can be serious and smart sometimes."

"Really?"

"Just shoot the targets," he groaned as I kept giggling.

"What about swordsmanship?" I asked, "and since I use a scythe when are we going to learn about that?"

"I'm not going to teach you when you have a bruising shin, hinders progress."

"But don't you need to fight even with wounds?"

"Yes, that's why I'm going to teach you it after you fire off a couple shots and hit those targets!" he stated and started to walk back towards the manor. Deciding to ignore that really crazy part of him for now, I raised up the gun again and fired some more shots, hitting dead center or near the red dot.

Suddenly, after the twentieth or twenty-first shot I started losing count, but then I heard clapping.

"Alright Ruby," Mr. Smith congratulated as he walked up behind me. "Dead center on fifteen of the twenty-five targets you shot, the rest are near close to the center."

"Um, thanks?" I sheepishly replied as he clasped on a hand on my shoulder.

"Now, for the swordsmanship," he began and turned me around so that I could see the training sword pointed at my neck. "What do you do in a situation like this?"

"I either start crying or shout for help?" I answered as I stared at the tip of the wooden sword.'

"No no no," he said, completely disappointed at my answer, but he still kept it leveled at my neck. "You find a way to counter. So how do you counter?"

"Like this?" I answered and I pushed my hand up, making it fly up, but then it flew towards me and I flinched. I didn't feel a stinging sensation or any pain so I opened my eyes to see the tip a centimeter from my eye.

"No, you need to get it away from you," he answered and he flipped the sword over so he was holding the wooden blade. "Here take this, I'll show you what to do."

"But you're taller than me," I said as I took it and he got down on his knees.

"Better?"

"Yeah," I answered and got in a stance like I had him beaten. "So what now?"

"Now this!" he shouted and swung his left arm up, but instead of hitting it directly up he slammed his fore arm against the flat of the blade and made it fly diagonally to the left so he could grab my wrist and then my other wrist. "That's how you counter," he stated and let go of me.

"Okay, so what's next?"

"Nothing, training's over," he answered simply and I raised an eyebrow at that.

"What? That's it? Nothing else?"

"No, now we go to the textbooks," he stated and I cocked my head since my eyebrow was already up.

* * *

Several Hours Later

"Uhg!" I moaned loudly out of boredom as I slammed my head on the table.

We were in the study room of the manor as he called it, but I'd prefer to call it a library. He had shelves with books and books and even more books, who would even have so many books! I was sitting at a table with a pencil and paper in my hand while Benedict was holding up a book he was reading.

"What, not interested?" Mr. Smith asked as he looked at me after averting his gaze from the book he had in his hand.

"No, I don't want to learn about one of your stories!" I groaned again, even louder. "You sound like Prof. Port."

"Hey, his stories were fascinating," he stated defensively. "At least I found them fascinating."

"What, you mean like hunting some Grimm in a forest with only a stick?"

"No, I mean hunting a Ursa Major that broke into a city and was hiding out in the sewers," he stated and my eyes widened. "Yeah, he did that. You should start listening."

"The whole class should," I replied as he went back to looking at his book, "we'd always sleep through his stories."

"Wow, Beacon's changed a lot then," he said and I tilted my head a bit at that.

"Really?"

"Nah, I slept through the boring stories too," he laughed and I started laughing with him. After we stopped our laughing fest we noticed Aeren standing in the open doorway, hands behind her back in a respectful manner.

"Hello Aeren, did you need something?" Mr. Smith kindly asked and she nodded. "What?"

"The scanning of the forest is complete sir, I decided it best that you review the results," she answered in her high pitched, electronic voice.

"Thank you," he replied and set his book down after putting in a bookmark.

"Scans?" I asked and she gestured for me to follow her. So naturally, as a curious petite huntress in training I followed her through the halls of the manor. Soon we arrived at a room filled with technology of a bunch of sorts. A large computer screen showed the entire map of Magnus along with the surrounding area meaning the ocean and the forest.

"No sign of Grimm or White Fang," he said with a hint of boredom in his voice. "Guess we'll have to wait for someone to see one for us to scan for anymore."

"Wait, you scan for Grimm or White Fang in the forest?" I asked and he nodded.

"I set up scanners in the forest when I moved here, then I eliminated the Grimm presence here with the help of several teams of hunters and huntresses."

"That's why it seemed so peaceful and Grimmless," I said and he nodded with a smile.

"That is correct, so want to know how I found you?"

"Uh, sure," I hesitantly answered, a bit curious of how he saved me.

"Well, couple days ago, four actually Aeren discover a single life signature enter the forest. She alerts me, I go after it and find the White Fang presence that's been hiding from me. I take them out, save you and hijack their wavelengths to pinpoint the rest of the White Fang locations in the forest which are quickly taken out by hunters and huntresses called from Beacon via job requests."

"Wow," I said with amazement in my voice as he smiled with satisfaction at my expression.

"I know," he simply replied with a satisfied tone in his voice.

"Sir?"

We looked at Aeren as she stared at the two of us. Her hands were behind her back in a respectful manner just as she always did.

"Yes Aeren?" Benedict asked while cocking his head to the side.

"Might I suggest that you return to the blacksmith's shop to discover the whereabouts of Ms. Rose's weapon and yours as well."

"Oh, right," Mr. Smith gasped and got up. "Come on Ruby, let's get my gun and your scythe."

"Aye sir," I replied, saluting and giving him a proud smile which made him crack a smile as well.

I followed him out of the room and down into the foyer where we left. With a snap of his fingers the doors swung open and we moved towards the car parked out front. I noticed the sky was bright with the color blue as white clouds slowly flew past the yellow sun unlike the dark indigo sky from earlier this morning. I climbed into the passengers seat next to Mr. Smith as he turned on the engine to start the car. We left the manor behind us and drove into Magnus, the citizens waving at the car whenever we passed.

I smiled brightly as we passed people here and there. It felt like I was a celebrity or a huntress, yeah a huntress. This is how I always imagined it to be, some famous huntress who everyone looks up to and sees as their role model.

"Come along Ruby," I heard and turned to see Benedict looking at me through the open door of the car.

"Sorry sir," I apologized as I hopped out.

We walked into the blacksmith's shop to see Valance sitting behind the counter reading a magazine.

"Hey Valance!" I greeted loudly and she jumped up, frightened. Her eyes locked onto me and she smiled widely as the wolf faunas ran over to greet me.

"Hey Ruby, how're you and Mr. Smith doing?"

"Fine Valance, now if you would please direct me to your father so I may interrogate him on the whereabouts of my weapon," Benedict asked in a fancy and really annoying voice making us crack a smile and giggle. He chuckled with us and Valance eventually raised her arms from her stomach to point at the back door.

He walked back there and we followed, still giggling a bit. There was a cry of victory and we looked up to see Mr. Smith pick up his massive light repeating cannon.

"Your welcome," Mr. O'Dehern angrily growled and Mr. Smith laughed heartily. He started slapping his hand on the wolf faunas' back as if congratulating him for something, the blacksmith himself trying not to spill a batch of molten metal that was in a special cup that was being held by a pair of prongs he had.

"Stop that!" he barked and the middle aged man stopped his arm, but didn't stop his laughing voice.

"Hey Ruby," Valance whispered and I looked over at her.

"Yeah?" I asked as we looked at each other.

She cupped a hand over one side of her mouth and whispered to me, "Have you seen Mr. Smith's weapon's alternate form?"

"No," I answered honestly.

My mind was already comprehending what she was going to do next.

"Mr. Smith, you wanna show Ruby your weapon's alternate form!" she shouted with glee and he raised an eyebrow in response.

"Oh," he responded as he realized what she had asked, "of course."

He swung the weapon around, his left hand letting go of the front handle. The grip his right hand held on to snapped so it was in line with the rest of the weapon. The different parts and armor plates of the weapon shifted and transformed until he was holding a morning star-like weapon. The bottom of the long handle had a blunt tip probably for knocking people out with a strong blow. The top had what any mace would, a head with sharp pointed pieces, but he didn't have spikes on it.

Instead there were large, purple dust crystals formed into large, flat, and sharp plates. It kinda reminded me of dorsal fins on a dolphin or something except they gave off a menacing sort of feeling. Below them were smaller, metal versions of the dust crystal plates. At the very top of the head was a large spike made of the same purple dust crystal.

"Whoa," I gasped in awe as I rushed over to his side. Immediately, I grabbed it from his hand and started looking it over. "You have dust crystals for the spikes in a crystal weaponry technique!" I stopped after that, realizing I had geeked out over his weapon and sheepishly handed it back to him while he looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

_"Is he going to hate me now?"_

Thoughts started circling in my head as he took back his morning star weapon and reverted it into his light repeating cannon form to put it on his back.

_"I did just take his weapon from him and geeked out over it."_

He looked down at me with a raised eyebrow as I nervously squirmed under his look. Valance stared at the both of us while her dad turned his head to look.

_"He's going to think I'm wierd and stop teaching me!"_

Instead of calling me a freak or wierd like the bullies back at Signal he smiled and laughed.

"You act just like Ranulf when he was at Signal!" he roared with laughter and the wolf faunas blacksmith groaned loudly as he went back to what he was doing.

I ironically turned into a rose with my blushing as he patted me on the back.

"Come on kid, lighten up. Didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he apologized as he wiped a fake tear from his eye.

"You didn't hurt my feelings," I explained as I brushed his hand away before he could bruise my back. "I just thought you'd call me wierd or something."

"Wierd?" he asked and Valance started laughing loudly. "You are obviously blind. I'm a middle aged mad man, that's a wolf faunas blacksmith, and that's a small ball of ginger energy over there!"

Mr. O'Dehern turned to look at us again before rolling his eyes and looking back at his work while Valance stopped laughing at glared at us.

"Hey!" she pouted and I giggled while Mr. Smith chuckled.

"Now, Ranulf. How goes the construction of Ruby's weapon!" my mentor bellowed as he looked over at the blacksmith.

"I melted the blade!" he shouted and I perked up.

"You what!" I screamed with concern as I ran over to him.

"I said I melted the blade so we can re-mold it," he explained more thoroughly and I calmed down.

"Oh, sorry," I apologized sheepishly and he rolled his eyes before turning his head to look at what I assumed was the molten form of my precious' blade.

"I was about to add some more Hard Steel in, but I stopped so I could ask you if you wanted a different metal for your weapon's blade," he explained further and I gave him a quizzical look.

"A different metal?" I asked and he nodded.

"Steel is a strong metal that a lot of weapons use, but Hard Steel is much stronger and very expensive. However, there are even more materials used in the crafting of weapons. You saw Ben's dust crystal plates."

"So you want to know if I want to use something different for my Preci- Crescent Rose's blade?" I asked, correcting myself before I could say 'Precious' out loud.

"Well, yes," he answered, shrugging his shoulders as he spoke.

"I don't know. I want to keep Crescent Rose the way it is," I answered and he rested his chin on a gloved knuckle.

"What if I- you fuse the blade's metal with another?" he asked, correcting himself as he remembered I was the one who was putting together Crescent Rose.

"How do I do that?" I asked, leaning my head to the side. "They never taught us how to fuse stuff."

"It's a rare thing for metal to be fused because the dust needed for it is rare. I just received a shipment of that certain dust a couple days before you arrived in Magnus. I've been wanting to test it and since your mentor over there is paying me a lot for this I might as well use it for your weapon."

"Wow," was all I could say in response and he chuckled a bit before getting up.

He moved over to a crate and opened it up before taking out a vial of orange dust. He walked over to a large wooden door and gestured for me to follow him. I complied and he opened the door to reveal a room filled with large containers filled with all kinds of metals. Some were filled to the rim or were barely filled, a few were empty, but most had at least a couple pieces of whatever they held in them.

"Read the labels and pick a material," he said and I gleefully nodded as I started running around with my semblance, turning into a red blur.

"Titanium"

"Platinum"

"Iron"

"Dust Crystals"

"Hard Steel"

I read off all the tags and ran around three more times to make sure I didn't miss anything. The idea of making my Precious better was definitely giving me a feeling of excitement and exhilaration.

"Whoa!" Ranulf shouted as he managed to grab my hood before I could run anymore. I stopped after feeling the jerking sensation, knowing if I went any further my cloak could rip. I backed up and looked at his questioning face.

"So? Any ideas?"

"Um..." I trailed off and started nibbling on a curled up finger in thought. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" he asked, raising his other eyebrow.

"Yeah," I answered, looking up at him.

"Well since you're Ben's student I might as well give you the special treatment," he sighed and led me over to one of the large containers.

"Mythrium," I read as he reached in an pulled out two light blue ingots.

"You know this metal use to be a legend until they found ginormous deposits in the mountains of Atlas," he explained as we walked with the surprisingly light metal bars.

"Now, put the Mythrium in the furnace," Mr. O'Dehern stated as he walked off.

Benedict and Valance walked over to help me put the metal in the furnace, but they were shocked by how light it was.

"Light as a feather," Mr. Smith commented with a smile as the blacksmith came back with a vial of red Dust.

"Ms. Rose, please open up your hand," Valance's dad said and I obeyed.

He lit the fire and poured a small amount of the Dust into my hand and gestured for me to toss it into the flames. I tossed it into the fire and immediately it roared, the fire plumed into a burning cloud making us jump back in fright. However, it quickly went back to licking the sides of the furnace, burning brighter and hotter now.

"Burn Dust, makes the fire hotter," he explained and we nodded in understanding.

Soon the Mythrium was melted and he handed me a pair of prongs. I grabbed the cup it had been melted in with a pair of prongs and took it over to where he wanted it to be. He brought a mold of Crescent Rose's blade out and set it down on the table next to the molten forms of the Mythrium and Hard Steel. He poured in the Mythrium and took the vial of dust he had before.

"Open your hand again please," he asked and I did. He gave me a tiny amount of the orange dust and ordered me to sprinkle it in. For a moment, the molten metal flashed orange before dying down quickly. We stared at it in awe with gaping mouths. "Now take your weapon's molten blade and pour it in."

I obliged and grabbed the cup with the molten metal of my Precious' old Hard Steel blade and poured it into the mold. It started glowing instead of flashing this time and as it glowed brighter we averted our eyes. After a couple seconds it died down and we looked back to see just regular molten metal colored the same steel grey as they were before. He set the other side of the mold down onto it and stepped back.

"Be back by tomorrow and it should be cooled down," Mr. O'Dehern stated, but I frowned.

"Can't I just wait here, it'll only take a couple hours." **(A/N- I honestly don't know how long it takes to cool molten metal, but I'll just say that he can cool it in half a day because of RWBY tech and Dust and stuff)**

"Yes, but it's eight o'clock," he replied and I heard Mr. Smith raise his arm.

"Wow, we were here for that long?" he asked, realizing we were here for hours. "Come on Ruby, you can wait."

"Alright," I grumbled and followed him out. "Thank you for letting me remake Crescent Rose though!"

"It was a pleasure!" Valance's dad shouted back with a laugh and I smiled as I left the blacksmith's shop.

* * *

Jaune POV

I am not in love with Ruby Rose, or am I? I didn't know anymore, I didn't know anything anymore. I finally started acknowledging girls around me for once, well more acknowledging actually. Like whenever Pyrrha and I sparred I'd always get captivated by how fluently she moved in combat, then she'd kick my butt and we'd start over. Weiss was that Snow Angel she always was, well more Ice Queen actually, but about the same thing. Yang of course was, well Yang and Blake was okay, but all these feelings kept messing with me.

I never looked at Nora though, I knew she was well, Nora and I'm sure Ren would probably get all defensive of his best-friend he was together with, well not together-together, just together with like best buds like how Ruby and I are, but now I have feelings for he-

My run on thoughts stopped as I ran into a brick wall and fell over.

"Ah," I silently moaned as I lay there. "Why can't I be like dad?"

I slowly got up, ignoring the pain of my bruising face. I checked if I had a bloody nose or anything bloody, but there was nothing, so I wiped off some dust on me and kept walking.

"Ruby!" I shouted for the umpteenth time today.

I've been shouting her name all day, ever since dawn today. Same thing for yesterday to since it was the weekend. The Vytal Tournament was coming up and my team was in it, so today was my last free day of looking for her.

"Do you know Friend-Ruby?"

I jumped in fright as the voice questioned me. I fell over again, but this time I landed on my face. I put a hand to my face and felt warm blood leaking out.

"Uhg," I groaned in annoyance as I tried to plug my nostril with it, but then a white tissue put itself in my face.

"Here you go."

"Than-"

I stopped mid-wipe as I stared at the orange haired girl in front of me. She had somewhat curly orange hair that went down to her chin and large emerald green eyes with freckles along with a large pink bow. Her skin was pale and she was about my size with feminine overalls over an old fashioned blouse and black stockings that had glowing green lines on the sides.

As I observed her I started tasting a coppery taste in my mouth and realized I was still bleeding from my nose and quickly wiped the rest of the blood off before plugging my nose. I spit out what blood I had in my mouth before wiping it off. I looked back at the girl who stood in front of me, her head cocked to the side as she observed me, not looking or staring, observed me.

"Um, hi?" I sheepishly greeted and she smiled, her traveling eyes locking onto my face.

"Salutations," she cheerfully responded, waving her hand.

"Um, who are you? And why did you say Friend-Ruby?"

"I called Friend-Ruby's name because I am her friend, Penny," she answered and it clicked in my hand.

"Oh, you're that Penny person she talked about the stra-" he stopped himself from calling her 'the strange one' and nervously laughed while hunching over a bit as she started observing again.

"Do you know where Friend-Ruby is?"

"Um, no," I answered as I straightened my back to stand up and started to stammer, "Ruby kinda, well sorta... Um, she... She ran away."

"Friend-Ruby is, is gone?" she asked, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Uh, no not gone, just somewhere else, but she's probably fine!" I quickly say, attempting to stop her from crying. I seriously did not want to add comforting crying females to my list of girl problems right now.

"Are you looking for her?" she asked as she wiped the small tears in her eyes and cocked her head to the side.

"Well, yes, but I can't find her," I answered and she smiled.

"Maybe I can help," she suggested as if a light bulb popped up above her and lit up like the sun.

"Yeah, that'd be great!" I shouted in joy. "I'm busy this week preparing for the Vytal Festival Tournament. Can you search for her while I train with my team?"

"Maybe, if my leader lets me. We are also in the tournament," she explained and my eyes bulged out of my head.

"You are?" I nervously asked while sweat formed on my forehead. I could hear Ruby's voice in my head, talking about how Penny took out three Bullheads and a small force of White Fang thugs.

_"She was like, shing shing and then the guys flew back. Then she turned the swords into a circle and shot a green laser like, PEW!"_ he heard mentally and his eyes just keep widening at every word punctuated by the 15-year-old's voice.

"Are you okay friend of Friend-Ruby?" she asked and I nodded before shaking my head to try and get rid of Ruby's voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Totally fine, completely and utterly fine," I answered, trying to play it off and be cool while doing, but I knew I failed. "So um, my name's Jaune."

"John?"

"No, Jaune," I corrected, saying it slower for her to understand.

"Oh, well hello Friend-Jaune. I shall search for Friend-Ruby!" she stated victoriously. "After I have gained permission from my leader!"

"Um, you go do that," I said as I took the red tissue out of my nose to check if I was still bleeding.

I looked down at it and wiped some of the remaining blood before looking up to find the ginger girl gone. No trace of her was left and I just looked left and right, behind me, but found absolutely nothing.

"Hope she can find her," I murmured and started to walk down the street again, shouting my crush's or not my crush's name out loud.

* * *

Benedict POV

I slowly turned the knob on the door and peered into the room. I smiled sadly as I stared at the sleeping form of Ruby Rose, the candle light that glowed through the crack partially illuminating the room. She had her hand set under her head as she slept on the crimson bed, a smile on her face as she dreamt.

"9 years," I murmured as I closed the door and walked down the hall, throwing my for show cane into the air and catching it in mid-air. "9 years of solitude and you walk in on my life."

My thoughts circulated around the crimsonette, thinking about what the future held in store for her.

"If you truly are her child, then destiny has brought you to me for a reason."

He opened the door to his room and locked it after he had closed it behind him. Snapping his finger, the lamp turned on and illuminated the room in a warm golden color as he made his way to his bed. Setting aside the cane and taking off his coat he prepared for the night.

Before he slipped under the sheets of his bed he grabbed a picture, holding it up to his face. His eyes attempted to make sense of the picture since his contacts had been taken out so they would not infect his eyes over night. He stared at the picture, looking over the picture of his younger self and the woman that would be the wife that left him.

He let out a sigh, not a sad sigh, but a weary sigh. He wondered if he had lived to long, if he should have died already or retired for good. He wondered if he should have agreed to teach the girl. He set the picture down and finally slipped under the sheets, falling into the embrace of slumber.

* * *

**Finished**

**I hope you liked this chapter**

**Sorry for the long wait, but I have no schedule for writing so I may update sooner or later**

**So I wanted to highlight that Jaune has no experience with girls, much like me**

**The chapter earlier he knew nothing about love so he thought he was in love with Ruby, but now he doesn't know because he's staring at other girls and their ack hm, assets**

**I mean, come on he's got hot girls all around him**

**So, anyways you also get a view into Benedict's mind over what he thinks about Ruby a bit and his life so far**

**Anyways, serious training starts next time when Ruby gets Crescent Rose back**

**Remember to Favorite and Follow**

**But always, Review**

**I ask of you, no I beg of you**

**Review**

**Actually I'm asking, just review and favorite and follow**

**Sincerely,  
Lord Revan Flame**


	5. I found you Friend-Ruby

**Hello viewers!**

**I hope you liked the last chapter because here's the next one!**

**Here we have Penny's discovery of Ruby!**

**This is set as many days later as it says below**

**So without further ado**

**Let us begin!**

* * *

Ruby POV

One Week Later

"Hyah!" I shouted as I sped at Benedict, Crescent Rose in hand, the blade gleaming in the sunlight. He dodged, jumping back from my swing and narrowly missing the Hard Mythrium blade as Valance had dubbed the the metal.

Just as the blade passed him I pulled the trigger and fired Crescent Rose's rifle barrel. The bullet headed for my mentor, but he raised his heavy repeating cannon, yeah I thought it was light until he explained how it was heavy because of the different parts he used in it. Anyways, it was called Dust Knight since I discovered he wore a necklace with the symbol of a sword on a shield, two gusts of wind flying either way on both sides of the blade as if the sword was stabbing down.

He had explained that his family was from a line of famed hunters and huntresses. His full last name was Smitelock, but it had shortened and been repronounced over time into Smith over the many years his family had lived.

We exchanged our past to each other over time, apparently both of us didn't actually like to talk about our families' past that much, just on how good our families were. My dad was a fun guy, he raised me since I was three, ever since mom passed away. Benedict's parents were good people that took care of him and his siblings, his ten years younger sister and two month younger brother.

While I grew up in Vale, Benedict grew up in a small town near Vale that wasn't Magnus. We shared similarities to each other, we both loved being hunters, or rather he was a veteran hunter and I was a huntress in training. We liked baked goods, ice cream, etc.

Anyways, back to what was currently happening. He raised Dust Knight and fired several shots, obliterating my single bullet and the rest of the dust shots headed for me. I dodged quickly and sped at him, slashing again. This time he was to slow and the blade sliced through the metal chest plate he wore. He gripped the chest plate with his hand and pulled it back to show a small amount of blood on it.

He grinned, realizing I had finally hit him on the chest for the first time during our training sessions.

"Good job," I stated, "Now get me inside before the stinging pain takes ove- To late!"

He fell over, in pain while I sighed and walked over to him. Collapsing Crescent Rose and putting it on my back I grabbed his arm and started dragging him as best as I could to the manor. When I was in range for Aeren to hear us I shouted.

"AEREN!"

The android appeared behind us almost instantly, making me drop my mentor's arm.

"Yes?"

"Could you get Mr. Smith patched up?" I asked and she nodded.

"I shall heal him. Also Ms. Rose, your friend, Ms. O'Dehern wishes to see you."

"Valance is here?" I asked and the platinum blonde nodded.

I smiled widely and sped past her with the use of my semblance. I stopped in the foyer, a rush of air and dust trailing behind me and hitting Valance in the face making her cough a bit.

"Bleh, dust in my mouth," she spit as she tried to clean her mouth. I giggled and she glared at me before smiling. "So what do you want to do today? Or are you training with Mr. Smith still?"

"Oh, he's not training me for the rest of the day, probably because of that cut I gave him across his chest."

"You slashed his chest?"

"Well, it wasn't that deep, but it still bled. Aeren's healing him right now so I guess I'm free for today."

"Ooh, let's go get some cookies from Henry's bakery and then let's go shopping!"

"Well I'd like to go get the cookies, but I'm don't really wear much clothes except for my blouse, my combat skirt, and my cloak."

"Then you need some fashion tips!" she squealed in joy while I stared at her curiously.

"You? With fashion tips?" I asked and she huffed in anger.

"Well I can be a girl sometimes!"

"So can I," I replied, but she laughed.

"Your a tomboy, Ruby!" she laughed loudly making me turn red in embarrassment.

"Hey!"

We turned our heads to see Mr. Smith at the top of the stairs in the foyer, for show-cane in hand as he walked down the stairs.

"We may not be able to do actual combat training, but you still need to learn from the books."

"But-"

He cut me off immediately with a hard glare making me shiver a bit.

"Great, his warrior's personality's out," I mumbled as I followed him to the library. Valance went with us too, interested in what I was going to learn today. We entered and I plopped down on a chair, the same thing with my wolf faunas pal who plopped down next to me.

Benedict seemed to have a hard time walking around with the bandage on his chest. Aeren used healing dust in patching people up, but it didn't fully heal the cut as I could tell. He probably still felt pain which was most likely why he was squirmimg around and stuff.

"Okay, today we're learning about the first alliance between Humans and Faunas against the Grimm."

"Ooh," both Valance and I said in awe as he pulled out a rather large book.

"Okay, where is it?" he murmured, flipping through the pages.

"Do I have to learn from a book?" I asked, "Don't you have stories or something?"

"No," he groaned, but a second later he perked up. "Actually, I might have one."

"You do?" we asked and he slowly nodded, a hooked finger on his chin as he thought.

"It's actually more of a legend than a story, but about the same thing."

"What's it about?" I asked as he took a seat in a chair. I leaned my head to the side as I stared at him with curiosity.

"My father told me this story all the time when I was a kid. Way back then, during the time when both Man and Faunas hated each other there were those who believed that the Grimm were the true enemy of their people. They struck a deal together and created the warriors we now today call Hunters and Huntresses," he spoke, finger still on his chin as he tried to remember the story.

"So that's how it started?" Valance asked and my mentor just glared at her.

"Let me finish," he growled and she turned red with embarrassment while squirming in her seat. "Anyways, both species began working together in co-existence, but as you can probably guess Humans still thought that they were better. However, there was a certain group of hunters named Team DYNO."

"Dino?" I asked, eyes growing wide as I leaned forward in anticipation. "Like dinosaurs?"

"No, DYNO as in dynamic, but DYNO with an 'o' instead of an 'a'," he explained and I mouthed an 'o', ironically.

"So, this team as my father said was an original team of Hunters made up of Men and Faunas. Now this is where the legend starts, it is said that they were the strongest, most powerful team of Hunters in existence because they drank the blood of Grimm. It fused with them and made them stronger, but also more fierce and predatorial."

"You can do that?" Valance asked. "I mean drink the blood of Grimm and not get something bad?"

"No," he laughed, a smirk on his face, "it's impossible. All the idiotic Hunters and Huntresses that do it today are dead or insane because you can't just drink the blood of Grimm. They're evil!"

"Oh, um... so is the legend true?"

"Course not," he said, "They probably got some prehistoric steroids and got buffed up." We cracked smiles at that and started laughing together. It was several minutes before we could stop and when we did I raised my hand like I was in a classroom at Beacon. "Yes Ruby?"

"Do you know what their names were?"

"Well..." he said and trailed off, going into thought. "Let me think for a moment." We waited a while before he sprung up form his seat and ran to a bookshelf, his fingers running across the spines of different books as he read the titles. "No. No. No. No. Yes. No. No. Wait!"

He went back three books and took out the one he had said yes too. He brought it over to our table and set it down, opening it up for us to see. It was an old leather back one and inside there was a bunch of records and stuff. There was a picture of some ancient paintings, an ancient language I remembered as the prehistoric writings that cave men used, and also some records on this stuff.

"Let's see," he murmured as he put a finger on the tainted yellow pages, sliding his finger down some paragraphs of a translation guide. "Here we go, the names of Team DYNO."

"What does it say?" I anxiously asked as he translated.

"The leader was named Demon, no Daemon," he translated as he smiled a bit from learning something new and cool. "He was a human male, tall and strong, a born leader, but also a brute."

"What about the other members?" Valance asked while cocking her head to the side.

"For the Y in the name there was, Yakecen, a hawk Faunas who believed that only the sky was the limit. He was energetic and bold."

"The N in the team name was Nardo, a tough bull Faunas who charged head first into battle, always making himself a battering ram for his allies to use. While not the most intelligent he was a strong one."

"Finally, the O was Ohitekah, a man who was known as a warrior monk. He was strong and used blades as his weapons."

"They sound awesome," I gasped in awe while he smiled.

"Yes, but unfortunately it is still a legend," he stated and we groaned.

"Can't you let us dream for once?" Valance asked and he rolled his eyes at us.

"There are no legends, just heroes and villains," he stated, flicking her puppy dog nose making her cringe. "Now, another story... hm..."

He stood there, thinking for several moments before snapping his fingers and ironically we heard the front doors creak open.

"Gotta fix the range sensor on that thing," he murmured and snapped his fingers again. We heard the doors creak shut and he started to speak. "Now, I remember this story from Prof. Ports' class. There is a myth of a creature of Grimm, a dark opposite to the wise reptilian lizards of legend. It is said to have wings like a bat, thick and balck like the darkness from which it was birthed. It breathed fire like its ancestors, the prehistoric Grimm of when Man first set foot on Remnant. It razed villages and killed many, but a brave knight stood up to it and with his team of hunters, killed the Grimm known as the Malisas, the Dragon Grimm."

"Whoa," we both said in awe as he smiled widely.

"I know," he responded, still smiling. "I think the guy's name was Acre or Ace or Argh. I can't remember, Now let me think of another."

"Actually," I said and he tilted his head a bit at my words or actually, word, "I think two stories are good enough for today."

"Class is over, you guys can go run along now."

"Yeah!" we cheered and rushed out of the library, leaving him to examine the rest of the ancient book.

* * *

An Hour Later

"Where do you want to go first?" Valance asked me as we stood in the mall.

"I dunno," I answered and she huffed in annoyance at me, putting her hands on her hips while frowning. Her face turned red and with her curly orange hair it made me have to stifle a giggle.

"Come on, I can't decide either. One of us has to choose!" she stated with red cheeks and a frown.

I sat down on a bench and crossed my legs as I started to think. I leaned my head forward a bit and hunched my shoulders as I got more into thought and she came over, then plopped down next to me. She just stared at me as I thought, then started playing with my cloak.

"Hey," I growled as I pulled the cloak from her.

"Sorry, just bored because _you_ can't decide!"

"Well I'm sorry, but this was _your_ decision to come here!"

We glared at each other for a minute or two before laughing loudly and leaning back on the bench.

"So you wanna go see the weapons shop?" Valance asked and my eyes bulged.

"They have a weapons shop?"

"Sure, that's where dad sends all the parts and weapons he builds," she explained and my smile grew wider.

"Let's go!" I shouted as I grabbed her arm and dragged her along.

With my semblance active I ran through the mall, a red blur with a orange blur as I dragged my friend along with me.

"Take a right!" Valance directed, giving me the directions to the weapons store. "Left!"

I took the left and ended up in front of a large store, the sign above it saying, "Grimm Slayers".

"Nice name," I commented and Valance nodded.

She walked up and opened the door, walking in to see a woman behind the counter, her head in her arm as she snored kinda loudly.

"Lina?"

The woman, a slender woman with an athletic build and brown hair tied in a braid kept snoring. We looked at each other and Valance walked over to the counter and rung the little bell on it. She stopped snoring and snapped to attention, her eyes wide revealing sea green eyes.

"I'm awake!" she stated and looked around frantically before her eyes laid on us. "Oh, it's just you Valance."

"Hi Lina," my orange haired friend greeted with a smile.

"Hey," she greeted back, but then her eyes traveled over to me. "Who's your new friend?"

"Oh, this is Ruby!" she stated proudly and I blushed rosy red.

"Well, she didn't drag you out over here against your will did she? She loves coming here."

"Actually, Ruby took me here," Valance explained and she raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" she asked and I shyly nodded.

"I'm kinda a geek when it comes to weapons," I explained and she laughed not at me, but what I said.

"Well Valance is the same way," she explained and my friend turned red in embarrassment. "Always makes me show her what's new. Speaking of which." She got up and walked over to a door that probably led to the back. She went through it and came back with a large crate. "Here you go, today's shipment of weapons from Vale."

"Alright!" Valance cheered and rushed over to the crate, taking the crowbar from Lina and broke open the top of it.

"You just let her take a look at it?" I asked and the store clerk nodded.

"Yeah, I know she won't steal anything since her dad would probably send her off to some boring boarding school instead of Signal or Beacon."

"Oh," I said, hiding my face a bit when she named the two academys I had gone to.

"Hey Ruby! Check this out!" I heard my friend shout and looked over to see her pull out a large metallic backpack.

"That's a Mark V Booster Pack!" I squealed in joy and Lina laughed, realizing I was a weapons nerd. I blushed rosy red as the store clerk went over and took the weapon from her.

Suddenly, Lina stopped as she peered into the crate, her eyes widening. She picked out a piece of paper and just stared at it.

"Ruby?" she asked and held the paper up so I could see it.

The paper showed a picture of me and contact information for Beacon.

"They're looking for me?" I asked, taking the paper from her.

"Does that mean they think your weak still?" Valance asked and Lina looked really confused.

"Wait, what's going on?" Lina asked and both of us looked at each other.

"You can tell her," I answered Valance before she could even ask the question. She looked at me with her clover green eyes and nodded. I walked out of the store as the wolf faunas girl explained how I left Beacon to the store clerk. I sat on a bench nearby and stared at the paper for a while, examining everything about it.

"Well that's interesting."

I jumped at hearing Benedict's voice and turned around to see the middle aged man standing there. He had snuck up on me while I was focusing on the paper.

"Very interesting."

"Mr. Smith," I said and he looked at me, my silver eyes starting to water, "what am I going to do?"

"Well here's what I think you should do," he stated and put a hand on my shoulder. "You left to get stronger, so do you still want to get stronger or do you want to go back with what you've already learned."

"Well..." I trailed off as I sat there. I pulled my knees to my chest and rested my chin on them as I thought. I felt his hand on my shoulder and it calmed me down a bit from all the anxiety I was having. I looked up at him and he smiled that childish, fun smile that seemed to warm anybody's heart. "How much more do I need to learn?"

"Dunno," he sighed and sat down next to me. "By the time we're done though you should have enough knowledge to be a fourth year Beacon student while everyone else is a third year. I lived a long life as a Hunter and as Ranulf probably told you I lost everything because of one mission."

"Yeah, he says you lost one of your teammates," I remembered and he nodded.

"Jenny Anderson, that's who she was," he mournfully stated and I looked at him with sympathy as he stared down at the ground. "I became stronger and stronger as I fought as a Hunter and this eventually got to me. I became arrogant, egotistical and this led me to challenge my leader for leadership over our team. I ofcourse lost to him, but my defeat created rage and my rage became fuel for the fire."

"What fire?" I asked, leaning my head a bit to the side in confusion.

"The fire that was my hunger for battle. Then it happened, one day on a mission to exterminate a horde of Grimm near a village I arrogantly charged the horde without a second thought. We were outnumbered and outmatched. The village was saved, but our teammate lost her life because of me."

"What was she like?" I asked and he smiled a bit as he recalled the memories.

"Little tech head, that's what she was like. Anti-social until she became part of the team. We'd force her to look away from her computer long enough for us to have decent conversations until she could look away herself," he explained with a chuckle. "One minute she's typing up a program for something, the next she's upgrading her arsenal with new tech."

"New tech?" I asked and he nodded as he finally looked up.

"I swear she had blackmarket sources. The weapons she made were amazing. Upgraded my light cannon into a heavy one and even built a new kind of tech that used cables to manipulate weapons, kinda like a master controlling a puppet."

"Wow," I said, impressed at all of that. "So, if you don't mind. Which you probably will... what was your wife like?"

He turned his head to look at me, eyes full of sadness and regret as he stared at me.

"A lot like you, that's for sure," he said and my eyes widened. "Loved to be carefree and save lives. She was a born hero, but I never deserved her."

"Don't say that," I stated and lightly punched him in the arm. He faked pain and hissed in fake agony as he glared at me with fake hate. "Your so dramatic."

"I like being dramatic, being dramatic is just so much fun," he stated with a laugh.

"Ruby!"

Both of us turned our head to see Valance running towards us.

"Oh, hi Mr. Smith."

"Hello Valance," he greeted and waved.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, curious and for the first time it popped in my head too.

"Yeah, what _are_ you doing here?" I asked and he chuckled.

"I was going to buy some supplies for your training down at Grimm Slayers."

"Oh yeah," Valance interrupted, "Lina's getting a bit worked up and I'm not sure if she'll call Beacon or not."

"I can handle this," Benedict stated before I could shout in surprise.

He strode over to the shop and entered. A couple minutes later he left and I could see a blushing Lina through the shop's window.

"What'd you do to get her all red?" I asked and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I am very persuasive," he stated and I raised an eyebrow while Valance giggled.

"Lina has a crush on him, he kinda uses it to his advantage sometimes," she stated and I gasped in shock, my gaping mouth quickly turning into a frown as I glared at my mentor.

"What?" he said, elongating the word in suspense.

"You're taking advantage of her?" I asked and he shrugged.

"I get 10% off everytime I come and I'll drop a hint or two that I-," he stopped himself and raised both hands to make air quotes, "like her."

"That's cruel," I stated and he nervously squirmed under our teenage glares.

"Well, anyways, I also got those supplies," he stated and held up a bag of stuff in it.

I peered in, but he quickly took it out of my sight, not that I could see much in the shadowy depths of it.

"No peeking till tomorrow. That's when the fun starts," he stated and I grumbled angrily under my breath.

He just laughed heartily at that and gestured for us to follow him.

"Come on, it's getting late. I'm sure your dad won't mind you eating dinner at the manor," Benedict stated, speaking to Valance.

* * *

Several Hours Later

Dinner had been finished and now Benedict and I were strolling around the front porch. Valance had gone home so now I was spending quality time with my mentor. The front porch was pretty cool, there was a rocking chair out front he apparently sat in, a little table with some old chairs, and a little rose garden he had, kinda ironic.

Anyways, I was asking him somemore questions about his old life. He didn't seemed bothered that much, but I could tell that some of the questions were making him reach in pretty deep to give me a small answer.

"So Mr. O'Dehern said that your wife took your son with her when she left, what was he like?" I asked, putting emphasis on he to get him to answer a bit more.

"Wasn't much to say about _her_," he stated and watching with a smile as I turned red realizing he had a daughter, not a son. "From the three years I knew her she was a little ball of blonde untamable energy."

"Wow," I said and he smiled. "Wait, three years? You had a three-year-old daughter with your wife and she just left with her."

"No, the daughter wasn't mine. She was in a relationship with another guy a couple years before we started dating. They broke up, I comforted her, she fell for me, I fall for her, we date, get married, I take care of her and that guy's daughter, then my teammate dies, and she leaves."

"Wow," I said again, still astonished at his story. "Must be a pretty sucky life."

"Yeah, feels like it sometimes, but hey. I got you here and I finally got a new purpose," he laughed and I sheepishly laughed along with him.

Suddenly, there was a ringing sound and I realized it was Benedict's scroll ringing, meaning he was getting a call. He pulled it out and answered, then Aeren's face appeared.

"Yes Aeren?" Mr. Smith asked as the android stared at us.

"Sir, the scanners detected a fast moving individual earlier today in the forest. It entered the town and is now heading for the manor as we speak."

"Heading for the manor?" I asked and that's when we heard the rustling.

Immediately, I pulled out Crescent Rose and expanded it into it's scythe form. Benedict thrust his hand behind him and grabbed the handle on Dust Knight, quickly pulling it out of its compact form in which it became a sort of armored backpack on him. It transformed into his heavy cannon and he held it at the ready.

We waited for several moments, wondering if the intruder would make the move first. We were answered immediately when a blur of orange, black, and green tackled me in a bone crushing hug.

"I've found you Friend-Ruby!" Penny cried out in joy and my eyes just went wide in shock.

"PENNY!" I screamed in horror as Benedict stared down at the ginger haired girl hugging me to death while I tried to crawl away.

He let out a chuckle and transformed Dust Knight into its morning star form so he could put it on his shoulder and still be ready for battle, in case Penny attacked.

"I'm guessing you know each other?" he asked and I nodded, my face completely red. By now I was sure that with my cloak's hood on I'd be mistaken as part of the cloak.

"This is Penny," I explained as I managed to untangle her from me. "She saved me and my friends when we fought the White Fang."

"Salutations!" the awkward girl greeted, standing up and saluting.

"Salutations back, so you saved Ruby and her friends?" Benedict asked, loosening his grip on Dust Knight.

"Yes, I saved Friend-Ruby and her friends," Penny stated, smiling widely.

"Why does she say Friend-Ruby?" he asked and I shrugged while the taller girl pouted.

"Because Ruby is my friend," she stated with pride and he let out a laugh.

"That's good then, so how'd you find her here?" he asked, transforming Dust Knight into its compact form now.

"I followed Friend-Ruby's tracks out of Vale and into the forest, then here in this town. Everyone said that Mr. Smith had a little girl with a red cloak and now I've found you friend!"

She was about to crush me in a hug again, but I backed up, shoving my arms forward in a gesture that I was fine with no hugs.

"Oh yeah, I never thought about that," I said, realizing I had no idea how I managed to get all the way from Beacon to here. "How did I run all the way form a hall in Beacon to the forest here?"

"Must've used your semblance," he stated. "With all the emotional pain you were feeling the feeling of betrayal must've supercharged you."

"It can do that?" I asked and he nodded.

"Emotions drive us, especially when it comes to our semblances. I managed to completely incinerate an area of trees and create a clearing in the Emerald Forest once when I was so angry from this one guy."

"Wait, incinerate?" I asked, wondering what he meant. "What's your semblance?"

"Oh, I never told you," he said and picked up a small rock.

He held it up in an open palm, then curled his fingers in. I could see translucent forces, like heat waves forming around it in a sphere before the air around us shot towards the sphere and then it exploded, sending tiny pieces of stone flying everywhere. We covered our faces to protect ourselves from the flying rubble and after it was gone I smiled widely at what I had seen.

"What was that?" I excitedly asked, jumping up and down in anticipation.

"I've taken to calling it Aura Repulse. My semblance seems to draw power towards me or an object I am holding, then repulses it from the core of the object or me, sending a massive force everywhere. The shear force of my semblance back in the Emerald Forest completely burned through the trees."

"That's amazing!" I said while Penny just stared at us.

"Friend-Ruby, who is this?" she asked, confused.

"Oh, that's right. You haven't met him," I said and went to stand behind her. I put an arm around her shoulder and my other arm pointed at Benedict as I introduced him. "This is Benedict Smith, he's training me to be stronger."

"Stronger?" she asked and I nodded.

"My friends called me weak so I'm trying to get stronger," I explained and she tilted her head in confusion.

"But Friend-Jaune is looking for you."

"Friend-John? Wait, Jaune!"

"Yes," she answered and I felt my mouth drop.

"Jaune's looking for me?" I asked, somekind of warm feeling stirring in me.

"Who's John?" Benedict asked and I lightly struck his arm with my fist.

"His name's Jaune, Jaune," I repeated again, elongating and pronunciating it so he could understand. "Jaune Arc, he was my first friend at Beacon."

"Is he now?" Mr. Smith asked, crossing his arms. "I'm starting to wonder if he was something more."

"More?" I asked and he smiled as it dawned on me. "No no no no no, we're just friends sir."

"I dunno, that's what my wife and I said when we first met."

"Yeah, but you guys split up," I said and his childish smile dropped. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean too."

"No, no, it's fine," he said as he turned around. "You should explain your situation to Penny here. I'll be inside."

He left me in an awkward silence with Penny, which just made it even more awkward.

"So Penny, did Jaune tell you to look for me?" I asked and she nodded. "But aren't you participating in the Vytal Tournament? You can't just come out here to look for me."

"I know," she stated, "I asked my team leader if I could look for you."

"And they said yes?"

"No," she said, looking down in what I assumed was shame. "I wanted to look for you, but they said if I left, then I am no longer a student at my academy."

"You gave up your training as a huntress to be find me?" I asked and she nodded furiously, a smile on her face.

"You are my first friend, Friend-Ruby," she stated with a wide smile and I smiled back, my heart warmed by her statement.

"Are you going to tell Jaune I'm here?" I asked, worried if they'll find me here and take me back to Beacon before I can get stronger.

"Not if you want to stay here," she said, her eyes full of that friendly compassion I knew them for.

"But where are you going to stay now? What are you going to do now?" I asked, concerned about her well being now.

"I believe I have a solution," we heard and turned to see Aeren behind us, her hands in front of her, one cupping the other in a respectful manner.

"Oh, Penny, this is Aeren. She's an android," I explained and Penny's mouth made a small 'o' making me stifle a giggle. "So Aeren, what did you mean you have a solution?"

"There are many rooms in the manor and I believe Master Smith could be persuaded to mentor Ms. Penny as well."

"Yeah, he'd never say no to this adorable face," I laughed, but then I remembered what I had just said to him before he went back to the manor. "Hey Aeren? Where's Mr. Smith right now?"

"He is currently in his library, searching through old books. I believe he is searching for an old scrapbook."

"Oh," I said and followed her inside with Penny behind me.

"This place is amazing!" Penny exclaimed in awe as we walked in.

Her emerald green eyes were wide and her mouth was open wide as she twirled around slowly and took in the view. I smiled and laughed a bit before moving again to find Benedict. Penny noticed me leaving so she followed me down the candle lit corridors and into the library where I found the middle aged man bent over the table, flipping over pages in the old leather book we saw earlier.

"Did you know that the first hunters came from a prehistorice time?" I heard him say and I looked around for anybody, seeing if there was somebody he was talking too.

"Um, are you talking to me?" I asked and he nodded. "Um, well... no?"

"They were, dinosaurs roamed the land and prehistoric Grimm hunted them to near extinction until they discovered Dust. Technology quickly advanced with the new discovery of power. With the discovery of how to turn Dust into power came the discovery of how to create machines powered by Dust and with the discovery of machines came weapons of great power. With this series of discoveries, Hunters became deadlier and much more advanced then they were years prior to the discovery of this miraculous power."

"Why're you telling me this?" I asked, worried if he'd snapped or something.

"Because that was today's lesson," he stated as he turned around, his mouth a line that slightly bent down to make a barely visible frown. "Unfortunately, I was sidetracked earlier by the story of Team DYNO."

"Oh, well, nice lesson," I nervously replied, but he rolled his eyes and took the book up in his hands.

"Team DYNO, one of the first group of Hunters to ever exist. To stupid to believe that they could drink the blood of Grimm and survive. Disappearing from history forever, most likely to hide their probably gruesome fate."

"Um, Benedict?" I asked, gaining his attention by saying his first name. "I wanted to know if Penny could-"

"Stay here and train with you?" he asked and my eyes widened a bit at what he just said. Then I realized I was talking to an ex-Hunter, he probably could already tell what I was going to ask. "Perhaps, if she's ready for how much training she'll do."

Instantly, Penny stepped up and saluted again, her flat hand coming up to her forehead as she stood tall with pride.

"I'm Combat Ready!" she stated proudly and he smiled a bit at that, then he laughed heartily making me smile knowing he was over that little incident we had before.

"Well then," he said and all the sudden threw Dust Knight in its morning star form at Penny. I tried to run over and push her out of the way, but I saw the backpack on her back open up to reveal her set of swords fly out and create a protective shield in front of her.

The morning star was deflected and it struck the table behind him. He was stunned, completely stunned at what he saw in front of him.

"That's, that's not possible," I heard him murmur as he walked up to the spinning blades that were formed into a protective shield.

"What?" Penny asked as he observed the shield, the blades slowing down till they halted completely.

"That's Jenny's Puppet technology," he said, grabbing a sword and staring at a thin cable that was connected to it.

"Hey," I said as I looked at it, finally realizing how she had been able to do all that stuff. "That's how you're shooting all your swords around."

"Yes," she answered with a smile in her usual manner.

"This tech was lost with Jenny when she-" he stopped himself there and looked up at Penny, staring at her with observant eyes. He put a finger on the cable and strummed it, then immediately my friend started giggling uncontrollably. "You react to the cables as if they were a part of you."

"It tickles," she stated as she giggled some more.

He caught the quivering cable inbetween two fingers and she slowly stopped giggling as the sensation died down.

"Now I wonder what would happen if a cable was cut," he said. "A strength and a weakness put in one. I never heard of Jenny's tech being able to fuse with someone's nervous system, this is just... wow."

"So are you going to teach her?" I asked and he nodded.

"Sensational!" Penny cheered as she returned her swords to the backpack on her back.

* * *

Third Person POV

"Well this has been a successful operation," a man with fiery orange hair and a white suit stated, twirling his cane around.

"Roman," he heard and turned to see his partner in crime for the moment, Cinder Fall approach.

The sound of her heels clacking and clicking on the ground resounded around them in the warehouse. She was flanked by her compatriots, a boy and a girl. Their names he didn't know yet, but he wish he wouldn't. He'd heard rumors about this woman before they met. A fiery goddess who loved to turn places into enormous barbecques.

"Ah, Cinder. Nice to see you again!" he shouted with joy as he raised his arms as if to give her a hug.

However, as soon as he moved towards her, she held up a flaming fist. The fire licked her pale skin and the criminal stepped back a bit, frightened for a moment before regaining his composure.

"I didn't come to get a new boyfriend," she sneered and extinguished the flame. "Now tell me, how goes our plans?"

He turned around and opened up his arms as he directed their attention to the map on the wall.

"Well it seems our litle nuisance, Little Red is gone so our operations are going well. Had a little trouble with that monkey kid from the encounter with the ginger kid, you know the one who shot down three of our bullheads?"

"Yes I remember," she groaned, annoyed at his playful attitude. "So how long till we have enough resources to launch our attack?"

"I dunno," he shrugged, crossing his arms on his chest. "We haven't gotten the full details on the stuff we took yet. We're taking inventory right now."

Immediately, Cinder's small hand grabbed him by the collar of his suit and pushed him against the table. Her fist was pulled back, ablaze again. He stared at her for a moment before going back to his playful demeanor.

"I'm not sure I like having a dominant woman in a relationship, but I'll make an exception for you," he flirted and she growled, but her attention was soon taken by a file next to him, a small piece of a report stuck out of the file, one particular part of the report that was visible caught her eye. Noticing her new gaze he smirked, thinking she was looking at something else. "Hey, not here. Don't want to do it in front of the kids do we?"

"Shut up," she spat and threw him away as she grabbed the file. Opening it she read every detail of it. "A man with a large gun who saved a girl in a red cloak wielding an enormous scythe," she stated and looked at Roman who seemed shocked at those words. "Doesn't sound like she's gone, more like moving towns down to Magnus."

"What's so special about that place?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "What is that place? Never heard of it before."

"Not many people do," she stated, throwing the file at him as she began to walk away. "However, I am not many people."

* * *

Unknown POV

Darkness

All he could see was darkness

It had always been darkness

No, not always

He remembered when there was light. Him and his team, his brothers. He remembered them and now they were im-imprisoned here with him. All of them, trapped. Stolen away and cast into the darkness, never to see the light again, but they were warriors.

He remembered those creatures he slaughtered, those creatures who feared him. The black hides and white bone armor, the same creatures who they feasted upon. The creatures that always challenged him for dominance, roaring and screeching. Then they e- evolv- evolved, yes that was the word, they evolved and became better prey.

He and his brethren hunted them, but they were betrayed, betrayed by their people. They were feared by not only their prey, but their families. They were locked away by the knights, the pathetic weaklings who attacked them as they rested.

He would be free one day and he would seek to hunt once more.

"Must hunt," he spoke in a gruff voice, his voice so ancient and powerful it shook the cell around him.

"Must kill..." he growled once more as he shook the shackles holding him in place.

"Must kill Grimm!" he roared and he could hear his fellow brothers roar in response around him.

* * *

**Done**

**I hope you liked this chapter**

**It seems Roman has discovered our little Rose hiding in Magnus**

**Also, a mysterious force has slumbered for so long, I wonder how long it'll take for it to come out and start hunting again**


	6. Fireworks, Explosions, and Blood

**Welcome back viewers**

**Here we are with the next chapter**

**So here we have Torchwick's and co.'s attack on Magnus**

**Time for some action and drama!**

**Oh, and possible gore in this one, I guess**

**So let it begin!**

* * *

Third Person POV

"You better not mess up again," Cinder grumbled under her breath as she watched the small squadron of bullheads Torchwick was taking fly off. The crime lord just rolled his eyes and let out a puff of smoke from his mouth as he removed his cigar on the video feed. "I'll turn you into a really torchwick if you do."

"Leave it to me, the little brat won't know what hit her."

"That promise better be held or I'll call _him_ in," she threatened with a sneer and he rolled his eyes again, sighing in annoyance at her remark.

"Please, a bounty hunter. What could he possibly have that I don't?"

"For one, a bigger gun."

"In battle or in bed?" he questioned lewdly and sarcastically, but she just smirked making him visibly shiver as his confidence shook.

"Pretty sure both," she remarked making him scowl. "Besides, our goals are aligned. He'd come do the job without pay if it meant we found Smith there."

"Who is this Smith anyway? An ex?" the crime lord asked and she scoffed.

"No, this is more... personal," she answered, her mouth now a small frown as she turned and walked away, the clicking and clacking of her heels slowly fading into silence.

* * *

Ruby POV

Several Days Later

"What!" I squealed in joy as Benedict explained the situation to me.

"The town's having an festival today in Magnus. It's around this time of year they celebrate the town's founding, blah blah blah, ironically its right before the Vytal Tournament, blah blah blah- My point is, it's fun and I thought you'd want to go there today with Valance and Penny for you know, some childhood fun and stuff like that, etcetera etcetera."

"Yes!" I squealed to answer and he put his hands on his ears to block out my high pitched cries of happiness and joy. "Sorry."

"It's fine, just go," he groaned as he tried to get some sound to go through his deaf ears.

I was about to leave when a question crossed my mind so I turned around looked at him, tilting my head in confusion.

"Aren't you going to celebrate too?"

"No, I'm not one to celebrate with fireworks and ice cream, not anymore at least," he solemnly responded, a sad smile on his face as he looked down.

I kept my head tilted, but after I while I charged out of the room, using my semblance to run up to Penny's room. I arrived at it in under a fourth of a minute. I quickly knocked on the door and several moments later Penny appeared.

"Yes Ruby?" she asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion at my sudden appearance.

"Mr. Smith gave me the day off from training because the town's having a festival!" I explained and she just stared at me in more confusion so I sighed and explained why I was talking to her. "He said I could take you with me to the festival."

"Oh," she said, finally understanding and smiled, "okay Ruby. Let me get my things."

I noticed she wasn't wearing her pink bow or had on the usual black and green stockings she wore. So I waited at the door as she went to get the rest of her clothes. I managed to take a peek into her room to see if anything changed when she oepned the door to come back out.

Unlike my room, which was usual messy from me being the lazy 15-year-old I was she kept her room neat and clean. Her room was like mine, but the sheets were a tannish color. That seemed to be the only difference from mine, that and being cleaner.

"Come on," I said and she followed me as we left the manor.

I got Aeren to drive us into town and soon we were in front of the O'Dehern's Blacksmith's shop. I opened the door to find Mr. O'Dehern behind the counter, trying to machine a piece of metal to make it smoother.

"Hi Mr. O'Dehern," I greeted and he looked up, pulling the protective mask he wore to see me.

"Oh, hello Ruby," he greeted and gestured at the back door. "Valance is getting ready for the festival, I assume Ben let you off of training today?"

"Yeah, says he wants to let me have some childhood fun," I explained and he laughed heartily.

"That's nice of the old buffoon, don't tell him I called him that," he demanded and gestured at the back.

"Go back there and get the lass, she's working on her special fireworks as she calls it."

"Fireworks?" I asked and he started snickering under his breath.

Penny and I exchanged a confused look so we walked over to the back door and pushed it open. We passed by the massive furnace he had in the center of the room and went over to the door that led to the bedrooms of the building where Valance and her dad slept.

When we opened the door we found the wolf faunas tinkering with some fireworks looking stuff.

"Hey guys," she greeted as she noticed us enter.

"Hey Valance, what's that?" I asked, staring at the bags full of different kind of fireworks

"My special fireworks," she said as she finished putting in some dust in one of them.

"Special Fireworks?" I asked and she smiled, then told me to turn off the lights. I obliged and flipped the light switched so only the light from the window shined in. She grabbed a tiny sack that was filled with some stuff. She threw it on the ground and it exploded in a bright flash of different colors.

"They light up!" Penny said happily and I gaped at them.

We soon found out they weren't just normal fireworks because she added a bit of dust and other special ingredients so that they lit up different colors.

"That's awesome!" I said and she smiled widely.

"I knew you'd like 'em, made them myself when I was twelve. My dad helped me out with them," she stated with a smile as she put them carefully in little boxes. I flipped the light switch back on as she put them in a backpack, then slung it on.

"So I'm going to guess you're going to the festival with me?" she asked, tilting her head a bit as she waited for an answer.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Well you're here and not cutting up Mr. Smith with your giant scythe gun," she stated and I smiled at her words, just the way she said it made her stifle a giggle. "So what do you want to do first?"

"I dunno, this is my first time here, remember," I said and she mouthed an 'o'.

"Well I got some ideas," she said as we left the bedroom.

Soon we were outside after Valance had said goodbye to her dad. We wandered the street until we reached the town square. It was a large open area of the town, the outer edges having shops and stuff while in the center was a big park with this really big tree and a pond or two along with a stream that led down to the river that ran through Magnus.

"There's a competition on best sharpshooter, it's for ages 13 and up," my faunas friend stated and I smiled at that. I had been training with my Precious since I was ten thanks to Uncle Qrow.

"How many competitions are there?" I asked and she started thinking. With what little training I got from Beacon and new training I got from Mr. Smith, I'm sure I could win most of these.

* * *

Many Hours Later

By now the sky had lit up to a bright blue color as people gathered around picnic areas to have lunch. With the money Valance got from her dad we got some seats at a local cafe.

"This isn't as good as Dust in the Wind," I told Valance after swallowing a bit of my sandwich and she perked up as I named the cafe back in Vale.

"What's that? Another cafe?"

"Yeah, it's the one my team, my friend's team, and I would go to when we got breaks and on the weekends," I explained and she smiled as she imagined that.

"Must be nice to live in the big city like Vale."

"It's not that big," I said, but she just scoffed.

Apparently Valance's dad was from a foreign country and moved here to Vytal. He met Valance's mom and so Valance was been born and raised here in Magnus. Her mom died a long time ago and her father had been raising her ever since. It was pretty much luck that she was my age when Benedict found me almost two weeks ago.

"I still can't believe you beat almost all those competitions," I said to Penny who smiled.

"She did say she was a third year student at her academy," Valance said after drinking some soda.

I looked at her, then at Penny, noting the similarities like I always did. If you just looked at them you could almost mistake the resemblance, but if you really looked you could see the difference. The biggest of course was that Penny was human and Valance was a wolf faunas, but you could tell that Penny's hair was a more neon orange and Valance's was fiery. Both their eyes were green, but Penny had emerald green eyes and Valance had clover green eyes.

"Oi, you comparing us again?" Valance asked, her dad's accent coming out.

"Maybe," I replied and she frowned at me while Penny remained her usual smiling self.

I swear, sometimes I mixed her and Aeren up with how oblivious they both were plus they both appeared randomly out of nowhere.

"Ruby, Remnant to Ruby," Valance called, snapping her fingers in my face.

"Huh, oh, sorry," I apologized and she just laughed.

"I swear you doze off to often. I wonder how this'll work when your a huntress?" she said, probably imagining me in a battle with some Beowolves and suddenly stopping to admire how they looked.

Suddenly, before I could make a comeback, there was an explosion near the edge of town. I stood up instantly and my hand went back to where Crescent Rose sat on the back of my waste in its storage form. Over the course of the almost two weeks I had been here I had explored most of Magnus in my free time. I became friends with some of the Hunter teams stationed here to protect Magnus.

"What was that?" Valance cried out in surprise as she looked over to see smoke rising from the outer edge of town. "I think that's the Hunter's Outpost."

_"Oh no," I thought as I stared at the smoke, "that's where Magnus' Hunters stay and if it's under attack, that means Magnus is under attack."_

"I'm going over there," I stated and took out Crescent Rose, unfolding it into its full form.

"I will go with you Ruby," Penny stated, her swords coming out of her backpack.

"I'll go warn Mr. Smith," Valance said and started running off to the manor.

I looked at Penny and nodded. I jumped into the street while the town watched. I started running, using my semblance to get to more speed and when I thought I was fast enough I fired Crescent Rose, the recoil kicking me into the air, sending me flying. Penny was running after me, her swords in what I called her 'wing formation' in which they basically made sort of wings on her back kinda like that time she saved my friends and I on the docks when she jumped off the building to fight the White Fang thugs.

Soon we were at the outpost where I watched one of the three teams of hunters here, Team GRNT firing at several bullheads. The team leader, a guy named Gerald had out a large rocket launcher, firing rockets at the bullheads, but the ships kept weaving about, avoiding his explosive ordnance.

"Penny," I called and she appeared behind me.

"Yes Ruby?"

"Do you think you can help them?" I asked and she nodded.

She took a stance as her swords formed the circle that made her laser gun. The familiar emerald green orb of energy appeared and I ran out of the way as she aimed at the bullheads. Firing two lasers, both striking two out of the five ships in the sky sent them falling down as heaps of molten wreckage.

"Hey!" I heard and moved my eyes a bit to see another member of the hunter team, I think his name was Nathaniel run over to us. "What are you doing here? It's not safe!"

"We're huntresses in training, I think we can handle this," I argued, but he glared at me.

"Well your education is about to get cut short, Little Red," a familiar voice said and I paled visibly as I turned around. One of my greatest fears stood there, flanked by a dozen White Fang soldiers, each holding up dust guns at us.

"Roman," I gasped as he strolled forward torwards us.

"Hey there Little Red! Miss me?" he asked with a sly grin making me want to puke.

"As much as I miss Cardin," I murmured, thinking about the bully who drove me out of the school. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh just wanted to see how the festival was going and to get rid of a little obstacle I like to call you!" he growled, his calm, playful nature gone and replaced by an angry one. "You got me in real trouble with my... how should I put this? Associates."

"Associates?" Penny asked and his attention moved over to her.

"Oh great, she's here too. Good thing I brought some heavy guns this time," he stated and snapped his fingers. A bullhead flew in fast overhead and stopped right above the criminal. The bottom opened up and several mechs dropped down as well as more White Fang troops. "I need to thank the Schnee Dust Company for their generous donation of armored Dust powered mechs!"

His voice was barely heard over the roar of the bullhead's engines, but all of them could still make out his signature childish tone.

"Looks like five against one!" a new voice shouted and our side turned to see the rest of Team GRNT run over. The person who shouted, a woman I think her name was Rebecca rushed over with her teammates. "An even match."

"Ooh, a fiesty one. I love it when my victims smack talk," Roman replied and she smirked.

"This'll be interesting," the team leader stated as he transformed his rocket launcher into large war glaives. My eyes widened as they took out their weapons, the leader, Gerald with his war glaives, Rebecca with a scimitar that seemed to turn into a large sniper rifle, Nathaniel with dual pistols that turned into a sword when combined, and then the last one, a girl, Terisa with a shotgun that turned into a war hammer.

"A full team of hunters, Little Red, and whoever that one is," Roman said in awe, "I'm definitely going to love this."

Instantly, I jumped at Roman with Crescent Rose, but he grabbed his cane and held it up to block the blade of my Precious. We stood there like that for a moment, blade locked against a cane until Gerald ran up and slashed at him. The fiery orange haired man jumped back as his men opened fire, but we were saved as Penny jumped in front of us and used Puppeteer to save us.

Terisa and Nathaniel opened fire as we pulled back. It turned into an all out warzone as the White Fang fought us. Suddenly, two lasers of blue shot past us and demolished one of the mechs Roman stole from Weiss' family's company. I turned my head to see another team of hunters rush over, I recognized them as Team STRK. **(Strike) **The one who shot the lasers was the team's heavy weapons guy, his name was Rick and he had two massive guns on his shoulders that turned into armor for his arms and two long blades that extended from his fore arms.

"Glad you joined the party!" Gerald shouted as the newcomers opened fire.

"Wouldn't miss this for the world!" the team leader of STRK, Sarah shouted as she pulled out an assault rifle and starting shooting a hail of bullets at the White Fang troops. "We barely get any action out here!"

The battle was a long one as we were trapped behind Penny's shield and the White Fang were trapped behind their small force of armored mechs. STRK's heavy gunner would've shot them all down, but the gunfire from the faunas terrorists was to heavy for him to move from behind cover. STRK's defensive guy, Tristan managed to set up some deployable cover for some of us to use.

I stood behind Penny's shield and whenever she opened up a spot for me to shoot I would fire Crescent Rose, sending high impact shots that shredded the armor of anyone that got hit. I could see Roman behind all of his thugs, yawning like this was boring too him.

That's when I saw it. Right in his hand was a dust crystal, the same kind he used to hit me with when we first met.

"Penny!" I screamed and pushed her down. Everyone around us seemed confused until the dust crystal landed in front of Gerald.

The team leader jumped back and Penny put up the shield, but when Roman fired his cane it barely held. There was somke everywhere and I could barely breathe. It stung a bit in my eyes so I put up my cloak's hood. I managed to stumble out of the cloud of black smoke, but instantly a hand gripped my red cloak. I was dragged into the air and I kicked and flailed my legs in an attempt to get whoever was holding me to drop me.

"Got her boss!" I heard a voice shout and the familiar sound of Roman's cane on the pavement made me look up to see him approach.

"Well well well, that was a pretty big fight you guys put up, but I'm afraid this is where it ends," he stated and pointed his cane at my chest, the foot flipping up into a crosshair.

Suddenly, I was dropped down as the White Fang thug holding me dropped me as he realized the explosion would get him too.

"Hey! Get back here you coward!" Roman shouted in anger as the faunas ran into the smoke, probably to his friends. "I need more loyal men. Probably steal more mechs."

I took the opportunity of him grumbling to kick his legs. He dropped down and I kicked him in the face. He grabbed his broken nose that started to bleed and I quickly got to my feet and started running. I heard a clicking noise and a high screech as Roman fired his cane.

The explosion ripped the ground from under me as I was sent flying into the air, pieces of asphalt flying everywhere around me. I landed with a loud thud and I groaned in pain, tears threatening to fall out of my eyes as I held a burnt wound on my side.

This was just like in the forest, when my Precious' blade broke and stabbed me in the side, but this time it was Roman who did it.

"Now that was very rude Little Red," Roman's angered voice growled as he walked over to me, his cane still pointed at me as he held a furious expression on his face. "To bad you won't get to apologize to me!"

Before he could pull the trigger again there was a loud whirring sound and he turned around to get shot his cane shot out of his hand by none other than Benedict. Valance was some ways off, but I recognized her fiery orange hair back there.

"You alright Ruby?" I heard and looked up to see Mr. Smith looking down at me.

I weakly shook my head and he scowled as he moved his gaze up at Roman.

"I don't appreciate people hurting my students," he stated with venom in his voice as he pointed Dust Knight in is heavy cannon form at Roman.

"Whoa whoa whoa, I'm just doing my job and this kid decides to butt in and be a hero. It's not my fault she can't see the bad ending every hero gets."

"That's not what you thought back at Beacon," Benedict stated and my eyes widened as I heard those words.

_Roman used to go to Beacon? He was going to be a Hunter? Did he become a Hunter?_

"How did you know that?" Roman growled and Benedict just glared at him. That's when it seemed to click in the criminal's mind. I thought that because a smirk crossed his face as my mentor continued his glare.

"Oh ho ho, is that you Ben? How long has it _Ben_?" he joked, making a pun with Mr. Smith's name. "What? Almost 20 years since I left Beacon?"

"I thought you'd died Roman," Mr. Smith stated as he gripped his weapon tighter. "We all did, every single one of us. You just disappeared off the face of Remnant, now you're here, a dirty criminal scum."

"Hey, it pays the bills," Roman joked and my mentor didn't seem to like his attitude that much.

Suddenly, a blast of red shot past Benedict and he turned his attention to a mech who had snuck up behind Roman to protect him. The orange haired criminal jumped out of the way as the mech opened fire fully, launching a barrage of bullets and dust shots at my mentor.

Mr. Smith managed to outrun the hail of shots fired at him and he took cover behind a destroyed body of a mech.

"Ruby!" I heard and looked to see Penny with her hands on my shoulder. "Ruby? Are you okay?"

"Just dandy Penny," I joked as she helped me up. I immediately keeled over as the pain in my side spiked, sending fire searing through my nerves.

"Ruby!"

"I'm fine Penny, just get us over to Valance," I told her and pointed at the faunas girl watching from a distance.

My strange friend grabbed my legs and carried me bridal style as she walked me over to Valance, the whole time I watched Benedict face off agains the mech, putting in a barrage of dust shots whenever he could. When we arrived some ways off from the battle I saw that Valance wasn't alone. Aeren and Mr. O'Dehern had come too.

Penny set me down due to Mr. O'Dehern's orders so Aeren could heal me. I just lay there, a crumbled heap of black and red as the platinum blonde haired android patched me up. I cringed and cried a bit when she healed my burnt side and wrapped me in bandages.

After that she started healing Penny. It was then that I noticed the large gash on Penny's forehead that leaked blood and the gun shot wound in her leg.

"Penny?" I asked as Aeren pulled a bullet out of her leg.

"Ruby?" she answered as she cried a bit, the pain a bit to much for her.

"Dad," I heard Valance call and he averted his attention from us to Mr. Smith who was fighting Roman.

The mech he had been firing at before was now a pile of scrapmetal, a bunch of holes in it from the dust shots he had fired. Right now Benedict was firing a barrage of dust shots at the, apparently former hunter in training while the criminal danced about, dodging the shots and firing his own blasts of dust shots.

"It makes sense," I murmured as I remember Blake and Sun explaining their fight with Roman, how he managed to block most their attacks and fight them off. "He used to go to Beacon, he has hunter training."

Unfortunately for Roman, Benedict completed his training as they switched to close quarters combat. Roman wacked my mentor in the head with his cane, making him fall to his hands and knees. Roman kicked him in the chest, making him fall onto his back, out of breath from the kick that took the air from his lungs.

Right before Roman could shoot him in the chest, Benedict grabbed Dust Knight and swung it, transforming it into its morning star form on its way to Torchwick's knee. Roman's knee buckled as pain shot through it, I could see it as the purple dust crystal pierced his skin. Benedict head butted him when he bent down to grab his leg.

Shaking off the pain as best he could, my mentor got up on his legs and raised Dust Knight high, ready to finish him off.

"This is the end for you, Roman Torchwick!" I could hear Benedict shout, a stern, dark expression on his face as venom leaked form his voice.

"Ben! Stop!"

* * *

Third Person POV

"We require reinforcements!" the White Fang soldier shouted through the video feed.

"You took five bullheads, two of which were loaded with state of the art Schnee Dust Company defense mechs, how could you possibly be losing!" Cinder practically screeched as her eyes lit up into small furnaces and her aura flared, turning into an actual fire on her. Luckily, her dress was specificaly tailored to her and designed to be fire resistant.

"We did not anticipate the two hunter teams here!" the soldier cried out over the sound of gunfire.

"Then you should have done your homework," she growled and everyone in the room could see the member of the White Fang visibly flinch at her remark.

"But Ma'a-"

"Do not 'but' me!" she screeched and raised a flaming hand. "If you so desperately need help, then why don't you just simply fight harder!"

"Ma-"

The White Fang member was cut off as several dust shots flew past him and he dropped the camera. Cinder's eyes widened as the view was now directed on Roman who was staring down at a man in a black coat, a large cannon being held in his hands like a minigun.

"It's him," she murmured and suddenly, another video feed appeared and loud metallic thuds could be heard from it.

A dark room was shown as a door slid shut. Lights lit up and revealed a metal room, the metal itself a dark steel color while the figure covered by his shadow was a man with a darker color and aura to him.

"Then the report was correct, he is there," a dark, baritone voice said as an armored being strolled up to stand in front of the new screen, arms crossed. "I am already enroute to Roman's location."

"I was correct then in contacting you before hand, we need the last piece of the artifact," she stated as she stared at his helmet covered head nod in agreement.

* * *

Ruby POV

"Ben! Stop!" Mr. O'Dehern shouted at the top of his lungs. Mr. Smith looked over at us, averting his gaze from the cowering criminal below him. "This isn't what you do!"

"Why should I not kill him!" I heard him roar, his voice cracking a bit.

I realized it right then, this was him back then. This was his warrior personality, that part of him that he kept locked away because it had so many bad memories of being a hunter.

"You're going to scar her for life if you do it!"

Benedict's gaze moved from his friend down to us, Penny, Valance, and I. Wait, who's her... me, that's what he meant. My mentor's gaze stayed put on me for some reason, but only moments later he returned his sights on Roman. The cowering criminal looked up at the veteran hunter, a frightened expression on his face as he looked upon his old classmate.

Slowly, Dust Knight was lowered till it lay at Mr. Smith's side.

"Leave this place, never return," my mentor sneered at the crime lord. It was almost silent, but we could pick up his rage filled voice dripping venom through the sound of crackling fire and the electric bursts coming from the metal husks of the destroyed mechs.

Roman nodded quickly and got up, scurrying off into the black cloud of smoke that rose from downed bullheads and mechs, searching for a way to get out of this town.

"Looks like we won!" I heard and looked over to see Gerald near me, being treated by Aeren. I realized then that the android had snuck into the battlezone and carried off the injured while those who kept fighting followed her out, realizing the battle was coming to a close with Roman and Benedict's duel.

"You okay Ruby?" Valance asked and I nodded as she helped me sit up next to her so I could watch my mentor make his way towards us.

I could tell he was weary as he walked. The way his legs moved as if there was a great burden on his shoulders or something like that. His coat was singed and so were his pants. There were some open wounds from where the shots that the mech had fired at him had ripped open his clothes and made bleeding wounds. Overall, he was actually looking pretty healthy with some cuts and bruises.

I smiled as he neared us and I could see him smiling as well. Then I heard it, the roar of engines as the cloud of black smoke coming from the combined wreckage that lay on the road parted to reveal a massive ship, larger than any bullhead, but smaller than most cruisers hovering overhead.

"Mr. Smith!" I screamed as a large figure appeared from the smoke, donned in greyish armor, like dark steel, making its way towards my mentor.

It thrust its arms back, the elbows disappearing behind it as the armor shifted so a massive gun appeared on its chest, growing and changing until it gripped two handles on either side of the now enormous cannon on its torso. Its legs stomped on the asphalt and I could see parts of the armor on its legs shift to balance itself while holding its chest cannon.

Benedict was to late to turn around because the moment his head started rotating to the right, the figure's weapon went off. A shell flew from its chest cannon and plowed right through Mr. Smith, ripping through bone and flesh. I could here Valance scream in horror, but all I could do was watch as blood flew.

He fell down with a shout of pain, landing on a knee, holding his shoulder that had a small hole through it where the shell had punched through him. His eyes were wide in shock and pain as he stared down at the ground, but he closed them for a moment and reopened them with renewed resolve in them. Benedict managed to ignore enough pain to turn around and face the armored figure that started walking towards him.

The figure fired his cannon again, this time using an explosive shell that sent Benedict flying back, landing on the car that Benedict and the others probably used to get here. I could see a large scorch mark on my mentor's chest, blood seeping out, freely flowing from the scorched wound on his chest and also from the hole in his shoulder.

I got up, ignoring Valance as she told me to not run over there. I felt a hand grab my cloak, but I twisted myself from whoever's grasp and with the help of my semblance shot straight towards the man who helped me. Suddenly, the armored figure swung his arm, smacking me in the face. My legs flew under me and I slid across the asphalt ground, striking the car with my body.

I groaned in pain, a pale hand coming up to feel the blood running from my broken nose.

"Ruby," I heard a voice weakly groan and I looked up a bit to see Benedict with his head turned towards me, his gaze resting on my battered form. "Run Ruby, run..."

He swung Dust Knight which was still in his right arm, the same arm with a hole through the shoulder. He roared in pain and rage as the morning star weapon came at the newcomer, but he just bashed it away with his armored forearm. The weapon sailed through the air and landed with a loud thud on the asphalt nearby.

"Ben!" Mr. O'Dehern shouted and started running towards him, but a barrage of gunfire shot at his feet.

He was forced backwards as several bullheads appeared, Roman in one of them.

"Ha ha ha, payback time!" he laughed from the bullhead and they could only glare at him, unable to do anything else or they'd get shot.

I moved my attention from the criminal to the large armored being standing over the man who took me under his wing. He didn't seem to have any interest in me, just in Mr. Smith who lay on the hood on the car, dying.

"I have long waited for this moment Benedict," the figure stated and bent down to stand on one knee while the other rested on the ground. His hands went to balance him on that knee, resting on it as he looked down at Mr. Smith through a sort of visor. "They say patience builds character, I would say that is true."

"Who are you?" Benedict weakly and painfully gasped, staring up with a defeated expression at his probably soon to be killer. "Who sent you?"

"Do you not remember me Benedict? I remember you," the figure said and its helmet began to transform, the sides shifting and opening up so the front visor could slide up to reveal a man's face, tan with silvery black hair and his eyes colored a poisonous green. Patches of his skin were burnt, leaving holes revealing metallic plating that covered the fleshy parts of his face. The rim of the open wounds were tinted black or dark grey where fire probably stopped licking his skin. "As for who sent me, well I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise."

"Deadlock," I heard Benedict growl with what little strength he had left in him. "You died during the Grimm Uprising."

"No Benedict, I survived, but you and my supposed brethren left me there," he growled, pressing a hand on my mentor's chest making him gasp in pain as he touched the open wound.

I tried to make sense of what was happening. Mr. Smith and this guy, Deadlock definitely knew each other. My mentor said the guy died at the Grimm Uprising, but what was that? I tried to remember and it clicked in my head, that was one of the lessons I had with Mr. Smith.

He said it was when a large mass of Grimm started to develop in the northern mountains of Vytal. The horde moved down and killed everything in its path so every hunter in Remnant was sent to stop it. Lots of people died, but the horde was stopped and most of it exterminated.

I always wondered if he fought in the uprising with his team, now I guess he did and so did this other guy, Deadlock who was suppose to be dead.

"How did you survive?" Benedict asked, but Deadlock just pressed his hand against his chest further making him cry out in pain.

"You watched me burn. You did not watch me perish," he growled with hate in his baritone voice. "Now, I will ask the questions and you shall answer." He got up, standing on both armored legs as he stood over him, towering like a hulking mech. "Where is it?"

"Where is what?" he groaned weakly, but Deadlock kicked him with his armored foot.

"No lies!" he roared with rage. "Tell me. Where is the artifact?"

"You search for the artifacts? I knew you wanted to find those monsters, but I never knew you'd go this far for it," Benedict stated with anger in his voice.

_What was the artifact?_

"Silence!" Deadlock hissed and stomped his foot on my mentor's chest making his eyes widen and his voice crack as he screamed in pain. "Answer me!"

After he lifted his foot off of Mr. Smith's chest, my mentor steadied his breathing after painfully gasping for air. Soon he was wheezing, this time more calmly.

"She gave her life to give the artifact to me," he groaned in pain, his voice becoming weaker and more defeated. "I would never let her sacrifice be in vain."

"Yet all that will happen to the artifact is that it will collect dust and be used for nothing. It was meant for a greater purpose!"

"It was built to find those creatures of death and destruction, but its creators knew the error in awakening those beasts," he snapped back at the armored man, a scowl on his face.

They argued back and forth, neither of them paying attention to me. I listened to as much of the conversation as I could and tried to piece it all together.

_"So Benedict hid an artifact some woman gave him and Deadlock wants it to find something, some kind of monsters, probably Grimm, I think... I really wish Pyrrah was here or Weiss or Blake."_

"Where is it!" Deadlock roared one final time, bringing his chest cannon back out and pointing it at him as a final threat.

"Never," was all my mentor could weakly groan in defiance and Deadlock scowled as I watched the barrel of the gun heat up turning a bright orange color as he prepared to fire.

I looked around quickly, realizing the pain I felt earlier was gone now. That's when I noticed the gleaming metal of Dust Knight nearby. With the use of my semblance I moved and grabbed the morning star with both hands, sliding a bit as I stopped. Deadlock's sight moved as he noticed me moving in his peripheral vision, transforming it into its heavy cannon form.

He looked over at me as I pointed Dust Knight at him and his mouth opened in horror as he realized what I was going to do. He grit his teeth and I watched his cannon charge up faster than Dust Knight. Suddenly, before he could shoot me a firework flew into his face and exploded sending bright flashes of red, white, and blue around Deadlock's face. I looked over quickly and saw Valance with an open backpack and lighting another firework.

"My eyes!" the armored man roared in anger and pain as he rubbed his hand furiously to get vision back to him.

I turned again and with a well placed shot fired a dust shot that went straight into his cannon. With a loud explosion he was sent flying back, a cloud of smoke billowing from the cannon on his chest.

I turned my attention and started firing a barrage at the bullheads, aiming for Roman in the side. He stumbled back in surprise and as the other bullheads turned to look at the commotion Penny spun her Puppeteer into a circle, preparing to fire her laser. In seconds two green lasers sliced through two of the bullheads and they fell down, crashing into the road or the dirt ground.

The rest of them were quick to follow. Team STRK's heavy gunner fired his own shoulder mounted cannons and shot down two more ships. The remianing bullhead, Roman's turned and began to flee, The fiery orange haired criminal waving his cane around with an angry expression etched on his face.

"Till next time Benedict," I heard and looked over at the downed Deadlock, his cannon broken a bit, parts of it hanging loose or blown off. He managed to manually collapse it back into his armor, then thrust his arms forward making all the armor that created the cannon turn into two large hooks on either hand. "If there is a next time."

He laughed maniacally and swung his arm, the hook on it flying off his armored forearm and grabbed onto his ship. He yanked his arm back and the chain that connected the hook to his arm started pulling him up to his ship. He quickly got in through a hatch on top of the ship.

The engines on it roared loudly as it turned around and shot forward into the sky with the remaining bullheads of Roman's attack force.

"Ben!" I heard and turned to see Mr. O'Dehern rush over. "Aeren! Heal him!"

The android servant quickly ran over, her eyes wide as she examined her master's bloody and burnt body. I tried to look at him, but when my eyes gazed upon his wounds I threw up a bit in my mouth. The rim of the wounds were lined with dead, black skin while the inside was blood red or soot black. I managed to swallow the bile since I had seen wounds like this at Beacon in first aid class where they taught us to close open wounds and stuff. I threw up the first few times, but I eventually got used to the sight of pink and black flesh with blood.

Mr. Smith's eyes kept opening and closing as he began to lose consciousness. I heard someone gagging and turned around to see Penny rubbing Valance's back as she threw up, not able to hold her stomach at seeing an open wound like this.

"His wounds are to severe for my healing practices," Aeren sheepishly confessed, lowering her head in shame as she realized she could do nothing to heal him.

"Call an ambulance!" Ranulf shouted at the hunter teams and one of them immediately pulled out their scroll.

As the red lights blared when the red and white truck stopped next to us, I just stood there frozen, staring at my mentor's broken form. I could tell he was using that last bit of his strength to keep his eyes open, but even now he could only see through tiny slits.

Steel colored irises looked to the side, locking with my silver ones. His head shifted so he could look at me. His mouth hung open slightly, letting him breathe. Over the loud blaring sounds of the ambulance's sirens and people shouting to help them lift Benedict onto a stretcher I could here him breathing, deep, heavy breaths full of pain and weariness.

Now I know what he meant by seeing things as a hunter. Seeing friends broken and beaten, cut open and gutted, or bloody and dying. He had watched his teammate die in the arms of his wife, he watched his teammates berate him with insults and glare at him, and he watched his wife leave with the child he helped raise.

I could only think about what could happen to me during my time as a huntress, if I ever got to be one. Thoughts and images crossed my mind, holding Yang's bloody body, watching Weiss or Blake get cut down, seeing JNPR get slaughtered, or even any of my friends holding my dying form.

I shivered as my skin turned a pale white color. It was then that I snapped into reality when I realized that they had moved Benedict. I rushed over to the back of the ambulance before they closed the doors. Valance's dad was arguing with a doctor about helping Mr. Smith.

"What do you mean he's not going to stay here?" the wolf faunas growled, literally growled with the canine ferocity in his bloodline.

"Our hospital isn't suited for injuries this severe, we can't heal him here. We're taking him to the hospital in Vale to heal there, they have the healers needed for these kind of wounds."

"You're going to Vale!" I interrupted and they looked down at me.

"Ruby," Ranulf gasped as he saw me, "are you alright?"

I ignored him and moved up a bit so I was in front of the doctor.

"You're going to Vale?"

"Yeah kid, we can't heal him here," the doctor explained and so I jumped up so I could stand on the edge of the back of the ambulance.

"I'm coming too."

"No you're not," Mr. O'Dehern stated, grabbing my arm. "Ben wouldn't like you wandering around a big city like Vale while he's unconscious."

"I was born in Vale, I can take care of myself in my hometown," I snapped, wanting to be with the man who took me in while he healed.

"Rub-"

He was cut off as the doctor butted in, his voice angry and annoyed.

"We don't have much time, he's losing a lot of blood and our current healing will keep him stable for so long."

"Please sir," I pleaded and he sighed.

"Go, he needs someone to help him keep his eyes open," he stated solemnly, taking a couple steps back. "I'll bring Valance to visit some times."

"Ruby!" I heard and turned to see Penny push past the two teams of hunters and the small crowd that had gathered around us. "You're going back to Vale?"

"I have to stay with Mr. Smith," I explained and she put on a determined expression, nodding her head.

"I'm coming with you," she stated and I nodded back with a smile.

"Then get in kid, we don't have much time!" the doctor practically screamed at us and the ginger haired girl jumped in with me.

"Guess I'm not going to shoot fireworks today," I told Valance and she smiled sadly at me.

I waved at Valance and she waved back, tears slowly running down her face. Aeren stood there, hands behind her back once more in her respectful nature. I knew she'd keep the manor clean and neat as long as Benedict was in the hospital in Vale. The doors slammed shut with a loud bang and the ambulance jolted as the driver drove us up the road to Vale.

Several hours passed as I stared at the healers making glyphs above Benedict, using healing spells to keep the blood from flowing freely and to keep his heartbeat steady. The combined efforts of tech, dust, and spells kept Mr. Smith alive for the moment, but I don't know for how long.

I felt a blanket wrap itself around me and turned to see another healer next to me, hands holding a blanket on me.

"Get some rest little one," the healer suggested, "You won't be able to watch over him in Vale if you're to tired."

"Thanks," I drowsily answered, finally feeling the effects of drowsiness take over my petite form. My head landed on Penny's lap who herself had fallen asleep, her head resting on her shoulder and on the metal wall behind us. Soon enough I was asleep and dreaming about Mr. Smith being fit and fine and standing over Deadlock's battered form.

* * *

Third Person POV

"You sure that's all!" Yang practically screamed in Junior's face.

"Yes sir!" he squealed in fear as she kept her hold on his man part and held Ember Celica active on her other arm, ready to blast his brains out of his head.

She sneered and threw him back before strolling out of the club for the twelfth time for those two long and painful weeks. She had gone to Junior's club every opportunity she got to make sure he had any new news on her little sister. Getting used to not being woken up by a whistle being blown by her team leader was strange, getting used to not hearing her name get called five times before she answered was painful.

She'd always wait for that childish voice of Ruby's to call out her name in an annoyed tone, but her name was never called and she'd remember that her team leader, her little sister was driven out by her. It had torn her apart and it broke her heart to tell her dad. He had yelled at her for so long, releasing all his pent up agression, but knowing it was just him letting loose his pain helped her feel less pain. After his berating they had hugged and cried in each others embrace as they thought about what might have happened to Ruby.

Her teammates were in the same state as they searched everywhere for their leader and friend. Weiss had contacted her family and attempted to use the Schnee family resources to try and locate the 15-year-old, but her parents denied her. She eventually got them to agree with her, appealing to them that if they didn't find the team leader, then she couldn't graduate prestigiously.

Blake had used her stealth skills to jump across rooftops and search the darkest places for Yang's sister. She managed to get a hold of Sun one day and he was currently helping them search for the crimsonette. Team JNPR was helping out, Nora and Ren working as a team to search places while Pyrrah and Jaune did the same thing, but as Yang had seen, Jaune had wandered off on his own a lot of the time searching for his best-friend.

The blonde had attempted to find that awkward girl, Penny to see if she found anything yet, but never found her. She had once attempted to ask Ozpin to organize a search party, but he denied her stating it would cost to much resources and time away from classes. She shouted and screamed at the professor, letting out all her rage, and she ended up scorching the carpet and burning a good portion of his desk. She had stopped her rampage after throwing a chair at him, noticing the look in his eyes, a look of defeat, depression, and failure.

She realized that losing a student, the student he had personally invited to Beacon was something he took heavier than anything else in his life so far. She left and from that moment on there had been rumors that Ozpin was contacting the local police forces to find Ruby Rose.

Yang was suddenly snapped out of her thoughts as she saw a familiar ice queen down the sidewalk.

"Hey Weiss!" the blonde shouted and the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company turned to look at the brawler.

"Oh, it's just you," Weiss noted and turned to keep walking.

"Ah, _Weiss_ so serious?" Yang joked, making a pun out of her name causing the white haired girl to grind her teeth. "Come on? _Weiss_ are you ignoring me? If I _Schneeze_ will you bless me?"

"I can't believe you!" Weiss finally shouted, halting in her tracks to twirl around and glare at the blonde haired brute. "Your sister is missing and you're telling bad puns?"

"Hey! I'm looking just as much as you," Yang snapped back, her cheerful attitude ruined by Weiss' assumptions. "Telling jokes and making puns are the only things keeping me from breaking down."

"Well maybe you should choose a more decent way of holding yourself together," Weiss shot back, not one to be beaten.

Both young women stared each other down, but before they could get into a fight a blonde knight walked up to them.

"Hey Yang. Hey Wei- Am I interrupting something?" Jaune nervously asked as he noticed the two girls glaring at each other.

"No, no you didn't," Weiss growled as she moved her hand away from Myrtnaster as Yang lowered her arm slowly as to not activate Ember Ceclica as she did.

"You find anything Vomit Boy?" Yang questioned, her stern attitude still there and he slowly shook his head.

"No, I still can't find anything on Ruby," he solemnly answered and Yang stormed off immediately after that.

Weiss watched her stomp down the sidewalk, then at Jaune before following the blonde. He stood there, watching the two girls walk off, leaving him to stand by a street in the middle of Vale as the sun set. He put his hands inside his jacket pockets and started walking towards airships to catch the next one back to Beacon.

The sound of sirens caught his attention and he turned his head to watch an ambulance drive past him into the parking lot of a hospital, a bunch of doctors and healers helping carry out a middle aged man in a stretcher, his chest blasted open revealing muscle and burnt flesh.

Jaune stared for several moments as they rushed the man into the hospital. He turned his head, knowing it was none of his business of what happened to that man. However, only several minutes later he looked back and his eyes widened as he saw a woman, probably a healer carrying a girl in a red cloak.

He rubbed his eyes, but when he let go the healer was no longer carrying a red cloaked girl. He sighed, thinking he was starting to hallucinate, but if he kept looking he would have seen Ruby Rose jump out of the arms of the healer to run after her dying mentor.

* * *

**Done**

**I hope you liked this chapter**

**Sorry for the bit of gore and stuff**

**It was an idea that popped in my head**

**Now here we are, back in Vale**

**The Vytal Tournament draws closer and closer as the days go by**

**Benedict is dying and Ruby is there to comfort him in his last moments, but will this be his last moments?**

**Only the next chapter will tell**

**Sincerely,  
Lord Revan Flame**


	7. Author's Note: Author Crisis

**Hey guys**

**Lord Revan Flame here**

**Sorry about this, but I am having doubts on this story**

**I need people to tell me this, but should I rewrite or keep going**

**I would love feedback in reviews or PMs**

**Please, respond and tell me**

**Rewrite**

**or**

**Continue**

**For now I shall attempt on deleting the depressing aura around me in order to decide myself**

**Your input counts though**

**So I ask of you**

**Please tell me**

**Much love from me, the author**

**See ya,  
Lord Revan Flame**


	8. A Final Decision

**Hey guys**

**Lord Revan Flame here**

**So here I am with my final decision**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**There shall be a rewrite**

**However-**

***Interrupted by cursing, swearing, and attacks by people with already created OC weaponry***

**Ruby Shield!**

***Holds up Ruby Rose***

**Ruby: What?**

**Everyone: *Stops***

**Me: Thanks kid**

***Scoots Ruby off***

**Now listen**

**To atone for my decision**

**The story shall be released with the six, if not more already posted chapters**

**From there I will continue**

**So this story shall stand  
**

**Another shall rise**

**So I shall notify you all when the rewrite has been published and ready to be read**

**Tell me what you think**

**Your input counts  
**

**So I ask of you**

**Please tell me**

**Much love from me, the author**

**See ya,  
Lord Revan Flame**


	9. The Rewrite is Up!

**Hey guys**

**Lord Revan Flame here**

**So the rewrite is now up!**

**It is under the title of**

_Ruby Rose, the Girl Who Ran_

**This story has been renamed**

_Ruby Rose, the Girl Who Ran (Original)_

**So now I ask of you**

**Head on over to the rewrite and read it**

**I've added two new chapters**

**Tied up loose ends**

**And that's about it**

**Oh, and this rewrite was released on July 16th**

**My birthday!**

**So I am now 16 years old**

**Yeah me**

**And now**

**With out futher ado**

**With much love from me, the author**

**Read the rewrite**

**See ya,  
Lord Revan Flame**


	10. Goodbye, Monty

**Hey everyone**

**It's Lord Revan Flame...**

**So, as you can notice, this isn't a chapter**

**There is a good, no, not good, a morbid reason to this**

**Just yesterday, on February 1st of 2015 at 4:34 P.M.**

**Monty Oum, the creator of our beloved series, RWBY, passed away**

**Monty Oum, has left this world and gone into the divine beyond**

**...**

**I'm sorry everyone, I'm so sorry**

**And I know you're sorry too**

**I'm sorry and you're sorry, we all feel sorry, sorry we could do nothing to help him**

**On this day and many days more, we shall mourn him**

**We shall mourn with his family, his wife and father and siblings**

**I know, we cannot feel the same pain as them, but there are a few of us who truly can**

**Monty Oum meant much to all of us, he was a hero to look up to, a man whom we all shall immortalize in memory and story**

**That, is one which I have done**

**Today, I have published a new project**

**One I hope you all shall read**

**Monty Oum, the First Huntsman**

**I shall immortalize him in memory and I hope you all choose to do something of the same**

**Now**

**I have only two simple words to say**

**Nothing fancy, nothing big**

**But it is hard**

**Goodbye, Monty**


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